Image: Rheinmetall
Romania has awarded Rheinmetall a contract to supply Skyranger 35 ground-based air defence (GbAD) systems as part of a historic €5.7 billion order, as per a recent press statement dated 2 June 2026.
The package includes 24 Skyranger 35 systems, seven Skynex systems, and two Millennium Guns for maritime air defence. Rheinmetall will mount the Skyranger 35 onto the Lynx KF41 tracked platform, pairing the infantry fighting vehicle’s mobility and protection with the system’s 35 mm revolver cannon and integrated sensor suite.
The contract reflects Romania’s broader effort to modernise its armed forces and reinforce NATO’s eastern flank. A recent drone incursion into Romanian airspace has sharpened that urgency, highlighting the need for capable and highly mobile very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) solutions.
Head of Rheinmetall’s Air Defence Division Oliver Dürr commented: “Romania’s decision to choose the Skyranger 35 on the Lynx platform is a significant milestone for European air defence. The recent drone incident has shown how quickly airborne threats can become a reality. The Skyranger 35 provides Romania with a highly efficient and flexible solution for protecting soldiers as well as critical infrastructure against modern threats at short and very short range.”
The Skyranger 35 is specifically built to counter loitering munitions, swarm drones, and conventional aerial threats. The system integrates radar sensors and electro-optical tracking with a 35 mm anti-aircraft gun within a single protected vehicle, allowing the Romanian Army to conduct airspace surveillance and engage targets autonomously while on the move. Rheinmetall states the order also supports broader NATO standardisation and interoperability objectives.
Read more on Rheinmetall’s website
