German company Rheinmetall has unveiled a new highly mobile autonomous close air defense (SHORAD) combat vehicle based on the Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle. It is designed for front-line deployment, armyrecognition.com reports.
The new vehicle is called the Lynx Skyranger 35 and combines the Lynx KF41 tracked chassis and the Skyranger 35 turret with the KDG 35/1000 automatic turret gun. This weapon can fire at air targets, including drones. The gun uses NATO-standard 35x228 mm ammunition and provides a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute.
The Lynx Skyranger 35 can engage a wide range of targets at short and very short ranges, including UAVs, aircraft, loitering munitions, cruise missiles and helicopters.
The system operates at a distance of 500 to 4,000 meters horizontally and over 3,000 meters vertically. This allows it to effectively destroy drones and missiles at low altitudes.
It is separately emphasized that the new product uses AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) air-burst ammunition. Each shell has a programmable detonator and up to 152 sub-shells. When approaching the target, the shell detonates, creating a dense cloud of tungsten balls that hit drones, missiles or other targets at high speed.
It is noted that a single AHEAD explosion can neutralize a small quadcopter or damage critical systems on larger drones.
Additionally, the Lynx Skyranger 35 is equipped with a sensor suite that includes an Active Electronic Array (AESA) radar, an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system, day and night electro-optical cameras, and laser rangefinders. This provides 360-degree situational awareness, automatic threat detection, and simultaneous tracking of multiple fast-moving targets.
The Skyranger 35 system is designed to operate both autonomously and as part of a broader air defense network architecture, with secure data channels for data exchange. The open architecture allows for integration of the Skyranger 35 with various combat control systems and command centers.
Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin have previously unveiled a combat vehicle that can destroy up to 24 tanks in a single salvo. It is a ground-based platform equipped with 24 air-to-surface missiles.