The wider order includes 24 Skyranger 35 systems, seven Skynex systems and two Millennium Guns for maritime air defence solutions.
The Skyranger 35 systems will be integrated on the Lynx KF41 tracked platform. Rheinmetall said the contract highlights its role as a system provider for mobile air defence solutions in Europe.
The company said the order further strengthens its long-standing customer relationship with Romania. Rheinmetall said Romania is continuing to invest in the modernisation of its armed forces and future-oriented technologies to protect its territory and strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.
The Skyranger 35 combines firepower and sensor capabilities with the mobility and protection of the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. Rheinmetall said the configuration provides a response to modern threat scenarios, including the need for highly mobile very short-range air defence.
The company said recent geopolitical developments, including an incident involving an unmanned drone in Romanian airspace, highlighted the urgency of the requirement. The system is intended to address short-range and very short-range airborne threats against soldiers and critical infrastructure.
Oliver Dürr, Head of Rheinmetall’s Air Defence Division, said: “Romania’s decision to choose the Skyranger 35 on the Lynx platform is a significant milestone for European air defence. We are proud to continue our decades-long partnership with the Romanian government and provide the country with direct support in this critical security situation.”
“The recent drone incident has shown how quickly airborne threats can become a reality. The Skyranger 35 provides Romania with a highly efficient and flexible solution for protecting soldiers reliably as well as critical infrastructure against modern threats at short and very short range.”
Rheinmetall said the order sends a message in favour of standardisation and interoperability among NATO allies. The contract also places Romania among European users investing in mobile air defence capabilities for current battlefield requirements.
The Skyranger 35 is designed to engage loitering munitions, drone swarms and conventional aerial threats in the immediate vicinity. It is equipped with a high-precision 35 mm revolver cannon and can use programmable AHEAD airburst munition.
The integrated system combines radar sensors, electro-optical tracking systems and the 35 mm anti-aircraft gun within a single protected vehicle. Rheinmetall said this enables the Romanian Army to conduct airspace surveillance and engage targets autonomously while on the move.
