Rheinmetall has announced the handover of the first Skynex short-range air defense system to the Italian Army, following a ceremony on 18 December at the Comando Artiglieria Controaerei base in Sabaudia. Delivered under a €73 million contract awarded in January 2025, the system introduces a new, networked generation of gun-based air defense into Italian service.
Italy becomes the first NATO country to deploy Skynex in a configuration that combines the 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3 with the X-TAR3D radar, underlining Rome’s intent to strengthen protection against drones and low-flying missile threats. The initial Skynex battery provides a dedicated close-in defense capability for critical infrastructure and deployed forces, reflecting the growing importance of counter-drone and SHORAD systems highlighted by the war in Ukraine.
The Italian configuration is built around Rheinmetall’s Skynex architecture, centered on the Oerlikon Skymaster battle management system. Skymaster fuses inputs from multiple sensors, particularly the X-TAR3D X-band radar, which generates a three-dimensional air picture with detection ranges of up to 50 kilometers and can classify targets ranging from aircraft to very small unmanned systems and rockets.
In a standard layout, a Skynex fire unit includes a command-and-control element, an X-TAR3D radar, and up to four 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 effectors arranged around the defended area. Each gun delivers a rate of fire of roughly 1,000 rounds per minute and can engage low- and very-low-altitude targets at distances of around 4 kilometers.
The system employs AHEAD programmable airburst ammunition, which releases a cloud of sub-projectiles ahead of the target, forming a dense fragmentation barrier that is highly effective against maneuvering or electronically protected threats. Compared with missile-based air defense, this gun-and-ammunition approach offers a much lower cost per engagement, making it particularly suited for counter-UAS and C-RAM missions involving repeated attacks by inexpensive threats.
The delivery marks a significant acceleration of a program launched just months earlier. Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A. received the initial €73 million order in January 2025, with options for three additional Skynex systems valued at €204 million, bringing the potential total program value to nearly €280 million. While initial delivery had been planned for mid-2026, the handover in December 2025 reflects the urgency with which European armies are addressing short-range air defense gaps.
Combat experience from Ukraine has played a key role in shaping this approach. Skynex batteries deployed by Ukrainian forces have been used to protect urban areas, logistics hubs, and energy infrastructure against Shahed drones and cruise missiles such as Kh-101 and Kalibr, providing real-world validation of the system. Romania has also adopted the Skynex architecture, integrating it with existing GDF-009 twin guns, positioning Italy within a growing group of European users modernizing SHORAD through Rheinmetall’s gun-based solution.
