Rheinmetall’s Skynex Air Defence System.
Rheinmetall Supplies First Skynex Air Defence System to Italy: The Italian Army has taken delivery of its first Skynex air defence system from Rheinmetall, marking a significant step in strengthening the country’s ability to counter drones and other close-range aerial threats. The handover was completed on 18 December 2025 at the Comando Artiglieria Controaeri (Air Defence Artillery Command) base in Sabaudia.
With the introduction of Skynex, the Italian Army gains a modern capability to defend against air attacks at close and very close range. The system is particularly designed to counter unmanned aerial systems, which have emerged as a decisive factor in recent conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and increasingly threaten both military forces and urban areas.
Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A. received the contract for the first Skynex system in January 2025. The order is valued at €73 million and includes an option for the procurement of three additional systems.
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Italy is the first NATO member state to introduce Rheinmetall’s Skynex technology equipped with the Revolver Gun Mk3 35 mm cannon. Rheinmetall views the Italian order as a key milestone in its strategy to establish a new international standard for cannon-based air defence. Other countries are following a similar path: Romania has recently selected Skynex in combination with GDF-009 twin guns already in service, while Skynex systems are also being used operationally by Ukrainian forces under combat conditions.
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Rheinmetall’s Skynex Air Defence System
Skynex is a cannon-based air defence system designed for scenarios in which missile-based systems are less effective. Its 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3 cannons can fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute and engage targets at ranges of up to four kilometres. The system employs programmable AHEAD ammunition, which is resistant to electronic countermeasures and enables precise target engagement at significantly lower cost than comparable missile solutions.
Operational use in Ukraine has demonstrated the system’s effectiveness, particularly against drones and cruise missiles.
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The Skynex architecture separates airspace surveillance from the firing units. Italy has chosen a configuration featuring Rheinmetall’s XTAR 3D radar, capable of monitoring airspace within a radius of up to 50 kilometres. The system’s modular design allows sensors and effectors to be connected flexibly to a command-and-control network depending on mission requirements.
Skynex can also integrate existing air defence assets, including Rheinmetall’s Skyshield and Skyguard systems, as firing units. Airspace data is displayed at a remote command-and-control centre, providing operators with a comprehensive real-time picture and facilitating efficient target assignment.
With the delivery of the first system, Italy joins a growing group of nations investing in cannon-based air defence as a key element of layered protection against modern aerial threats.
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