Skynex shoots down drones over Kyiv with laser precision
A video has surfaced online showing drones or cruise missiles being shot down over Kyiv by a gun-based anti-aircraft system using programmable ammunition. The characteristic explosions, resembling fireworks, suggest the presence of the Skynex system. Here’s what it can do.
9:59 AM EDT, October 27, 2024
Ukraine has received at least two Skynex point-defense system batteries from Germany. These batteries are perfectly suited for the low-cost interception of drones and cruise missiles and the potential destruction of FABs. This system is a conceptual advancement of the Gepard, featuring programmable ammunition and more sensitive radars.
A video has emerged from Kyiv's nighttime defense, demonstrating the system's capability to knock down Russian targets. This is indicated by the characteristic explosions from missiles fired in four-round bursts.
Skynex - Economical defense against multiple targets
The Skynex system is an export version of the MANTIS systems used in Germany. It is based on the 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 automatic cannon, which has a firing rate of 1,000 rounds per minute and is loaded with sub-caliber armor-piercing or programmable AHEAD ammunition.
The system has an effective range of up to 3 miles and can effectively engage a wide range of targets, from drones and cruise missiles to airplanes, as well as artillery shells and aerial bombs with thick steel shells.
The automatic cannon targets the enemy using a radar or optoelectronic head equipped with a thermal sight and laser rangefinder. Target elimination is typically conducted with a four-round burst, costing tens of thousands of euros. Although this sounds expensive, it is economical compared to an anti-aircraft missile, which costs at least a few hundred thousand euros or dollars.
The armor-piercing ammunition consists of small tungsten darts capable of penetrating over 4 inches of armored steel, while the programmable ammunition contains a load of tungsten balls. These are packed around an explosive material, which is detonated by a fuse programmed at the muzzle to explode after a specific time. A special sensor at the muzzle measures the muzzle velocity of each projectile and, based on data from the radar, such as speed and distance to the target, calculates when the AHEAD projectile is to detonate.
Consequently, right in front of the target, a virtual "wall" of tungsten fragments is created with an effective area of a few meters, capable of shredding the fuselages of drones or the warheads of missiles.
The complete turret system weighs 11,200 pounds and includes a stockpile of 252 rounds of ammunition, which, when fired in four-round bursts, is sufficient for many targets. Until now, the system has primarily been presented in a stationary version that is transported on trucks. Its Skyranger 30 variant, which features a lighter 30 mm cannon with slightly lower parameters, is more popular.
Interest has only recently developed in mounting this system's tower on heavier platforms, such as a Leopard 1A5 tank. A prototype created a few months ago underwent firing range testing less than two weeks ago.
