MBDA and Rheinmetall have signed a deal to integrate the Small Anti Drone Missile (SADM) into the Skyranger 30 short-range turret system.
The letter of intent highlights the long-term cooperation needed for the development, production, and interoperability of the capabilities, as well as other future launcher and digital systems architecture.
The two companies will also look into incorporating the SADM into other Rheinmetall military vehicles.
MBDA’s missiles will serve as one of the Skyranger’s main solutions against small- and medium-sized drones, gaining a high hit probability even at stand-off distances.
Rheinmetall chief digital officer Timo Haas stated that they are now in the earliest stages of the program’s setup.
“The Small Anti-Drone Missile is an ideal and logical addition to the capabilities of Rheinmetall’s systems and vehicles. We are working in advance and are already creating the conditions for the industrial set-up in order to quickly implement the customer’s decisions,” Haas shared.
The Skyranger 30
Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 was designed to provide ground units with a mobile system that can take on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles.
It has an effective range of up to 1.8 miles (3 kilometers), which can extend to 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) when integrated with missile systems.
It monitors its surrounding space with an active 3D AESA search radar, and a passive 360-degree fast infrared scanner.
Countries that are soon to implement the capability to its armed forces include Germany, which signed a 595-million-euro ($644 million) deal to receive a prototype unit and 18 series production systems.
