Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank: Romania orders Skyranger 35 air defence systems from Rheinmetall

The technology group Rheinmetall has achieved another significant success in the field of ground-based air defence (GbAD) systems. The Romanian government has awarded the company a contract to supply Skyranger 35 air defence systems. This contract is part of a historic major order worth €5.7 billion covering combat vehicles, vessels and air defence systems, and includes not only 24 Skyranger 35 systems, but also seven Skynex systems and two Millennium Guns for maritime air defence solutions. Rheinmetall published a press release on this matter on 2 June 2026.

The Skyranger system will be integrated onto the proven Lynx KF41 tracked platform. The contract highlights Rheinmetall’s role as a leading system provider for mobile air defence solutions in Europe.

This major contract further strengthens the long-standing and trusting customer relationship between Romania and Rheinmetall. The country is therefore continuing to invest in the modernisation of its armed forces and in future-oriented technologies in order to protect its own territory and strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. The Skyranger 35’s enormous firepower and sensor capabilities, combined with the mobility and protection offered by the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle, provide an excellent response to modern threat scenarios. Recent geopolitical developments, including the incident involving an unmanned drone in Romanian airspace, have highlighted the urgent need for a thorough and highly mobile very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) system.

Oliver Dürr, Head of Rheinmetall’s Air Defence Division, emphasises the project’s strategic importance: “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”.

With this order, Rheinmetall sends a clear message in favour of standardisation and interoperability among NATO allies. 

photo courtesy Rheinmetall