Italy Receives First Rheinmetall Skynex Air Defense System

The Italian Army took delivery of its first Skynex air defense system on December 18 at the Air Defense Artillery Command base in Sabaudia, manufacturer Rheinmetall announced Tuesday.

The system was delivered under a €73 million contract awarded in January 2025 to Rheinmetall Italia SpA. The deal also includes an option for the delivery of three additional Skynex systems.

The system provides the Italian Army with a close- and very-short-range air defense capability designed to counter aerial threats including drones, rockets, artillery shells, mortars, and loitering munitions.

A Skynex battery includes an airspace surveillance sensor and tracking unit, a command and weapons control station, and four 35mm Revolver Gun Mk3 firing units. The guns have a rate of fire of up to 1,000 rounds per minute and an effective range of around 4 km. The system uses programmable AHEAD ammunition, which is designed to function without reliance on guided missiles and is resistant to electronic countermeasures.

Italy is the first NATO member to select Skynex combined with Rheinmetall’s 35mm Mk3 revolver cannon. Romania has also selected the Skynex architecture, paired with a different gun system already in service. Skynex systems have been used by Ukrainian forces during the ongoing war, where gun-based air defense has been employed against drones and cruise missiles.

Italy’s Skynex configuration integrates Rheinmetall’s XTAR 3D radar, which can monitor airspace within a radius of up to 50 km. The system follows a modular architecture that separates sensors from firing units, allowing various sensors and effectors to be linked through a shared command and control network. Existing air defense systems, including Skyshield and Skyguard, can also be integrated into the same framework.