Ukrainian forces reveal key advantages of Skynex air defense system
Photo: Skynex air defense system shot down a missile and a swarm of drones in a single engagement (facebook.com/kpszsu)
Overnight, Ukrainian troops used the Skynex air defense system to shoot down more than a dozen Shahed-type attack drones and a cruise missile, according to the Ukrainian Air Force's West Air Command.
"Andrii is the commander of an anti-aircraft artillery battery with the West Air Command. He is currently performing combat missions on the Skynex anti-aircraft artillery system. The battery has destroyed two cruise missiles and about 35 Russian Shahed-type drones," the Western Air Command states.
His crew managed to destroy 12 Russian aerial targets in a single air defense engagement: one cruise missile and 11 Shahed-type drones.
Skynex air defense in Ukraine
Skynex is an anti-aircraft artillery system developed and manufactured by Rheinmetall. This air defense system is relatively new, having been unveiled in November 2021.
Skynex belongs to the category of short-range air defense systems, similar to the German Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. Its main armament is a 35-mm Oerlikon Mk3 automatic cannon, which has an effective firing range of 4,000 meters and a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute.
According to experts, Skynex, like the IRIS-T systems transferred by Germany to Ukraine, is a sufficiently accurate air defense system. At the same time, Skynex is said to have a cost advantage over other systems. For example, shooting down an aircraft with this system costs about 4,000 euros. Meanwhile, the cost of a downed missile for the IRIS-T ranges from 300,000 to 500,000 euros.
The Skynex air defense system was transferred to Ukraine by Germany, along with other weapons included in the announced new aid package.
