Member-only story
Germany’s Skyranger Drone-Slayer Heads to Ukraine This Year!
I hope everyone had the chance to attend Medium Day! It was filled with great presentations; many of them I likely missed because there were so many good ones simultaneously. If you get a chance, go back and watch the recorded presos. I plan on binging them this afternoon.
Okay, on to the news:
By the end of the year, Ukraine is set to receive a brand-new toy from Rheinmetall. The German arms giant is preparing to send Skyranger mobile air-defense systems, short-range cannons purpose-built to shred Russian Shaheds, Lancets, and any other kamikaze UAV Moscow can Gorilla Glue together.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger revealed at the DSEI defense expo that a deal worth “hundreds of millions” is ready to be signed.
Germany has already armed Ukraine with Gepard and Skynex systems, both of which have proven their worth against drones.
Skyranger is the next evolution: quite a bit smaller, faster to deploy, and built for mobility.
Ukraine desperately needs this. Russia launched over 6,000 Shaheds in July alone, a 14-fold increase from 2024. Patriots and NASAMS can shoot them down, sure, but spending a $1 million missile on a $20,000 lawnmower drone is like using a Ferrari to deliver DoorDash. It’s a little ostentatious.
