DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Rheinmetall has received an international contract worth several hundred million euros to supply four Skynex air defense systems to an undisclosed customer, the company said. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2026 and is the first Skynex purchase by that customer.
The contract covers four complete Skynex batteries with deliveries scheduled over 39 months. The first battery will be delivered 21 months after the contract is signed. The remaining three batteries will follow one after another at six-month intervals.
The package also includes transport trucks, specialized ammunition and a full Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) package. The support package covers operator and maintenance training, spare parts, special tools and consumables needed to keep the systems operational after delivery. All of those elements are included within the overall contract value.
Rheinmetall Italia is the prime contractor for the program. Production and delivery will involve several companies across the Rheinmetall Group, including Rheinmetall Air Defence, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles and Rheinmetall Weapon and Munitions (Switzerland).
Skynex is Rheinmetall's gun-based very short-range air defense system. It is used for counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) missions and Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) operations. The system can engage drones, including drone swarms, as well as rockets, artillery rounds and mortar shells.
The system uses 35 mm automatic cannons firing programmable ammunition. Its modular architecture allows it to be integrated into wider air defense networks and configured for different operational requirements.
The order follows earlier Skynex deliveries, including systems supplied to Ukraine and Italy. Rheinmetall has continued production of the system as demand for short-range air defense and counter-drone capabilities has increased in recent years.
The company did not identify the customer or disclose the exact contract value beyond saying it was in the range of several hundred million euros. The full program will run for 39 months from contract signature.
Source: Rheinmetall.
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