Rheinmetall to improve Skyranger 30 for Hungary’s Lynx KF41 mobile air defence vehicle

Rheinmetall will customise its Skyranger 30 air defence system for use on Hungary’s future Lynx KF41 mobile air defence vehicle under a €30 million (US$33 million) conceptual development contract.

The customisation of the Skyranger 30 turret for the Lynx and the integration of additional effectors will be designed to meet Hungary’s need for improved air defence, adding a new Lynx variant in the process.

The turret combines a 30mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air missiles and the accompanying sensor suite, all on a single platform which is compatible with a variety of guided missiles including the Mistral, Stinger and Chiron.

As well as being able to combat fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, the Skyranger 30 has also been designed to defeat ballistic missiles and uncrewed aircraft.

The development project will form part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) which has seeked to significantly improve Europe’s air defence capabilities over the coming years. To achieve this ambition quickly, ESSI member nations have planned to jointly procure, deploy and maintain the relevant hardware, including radar systems, automatic cannon and surface-to-air guided missiles, with Skyranger 30 fitting into the concept.

Germany has been considering the system for Boxer 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle and Denmark has announced plans to buy around 15 systems to be integrated into a future 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle.

In August 2023, Rheinmetall inaugurated a new factory in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, to focus on the development and manufacture of tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles for the Hungarian military, especially the Lynx KF41.