Italy Becomes First NATO Operator of Rheinmetall Skynex Air Defence System
Italy has received its first Rheinmetall Skynex air defence system, becoming the first NATO member to field the cannon-based solution designed to counter drones and low-altitude threats, with the initial battery handed over at the Air Defence Artillery Command in Sabaudia.
The Italian Army has officially received its first Skynex short-range air defense system, marking a significant step in Italy’s effort to strengthen protection against drones and low-altitude aerial threats. The handover ceremony took place on 18 December 2025 at the Air Defence Artillery Command in Sabaudia, confirming the system’s entry into operational service.
Delivered by Rheinmetall, Skynex provides close and very-short-range air defence, a capability increasingly critical as drones and cruise missiles continue to shape modern battlefields and urban warfare scenarios. Italy is the first NATO member to field the full Skynex architecture, including the 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3, positioning the country at the forefront of cannon-based air defence within the Alliance.
The contract for the first Skynex battery was signed in January 2025 by Rheinmetall Italia and is valued at €73 million. It also includes options for three additional systems, indicating potential expansion of Italy’s short-range air defence network in the coming years.
Cannon-Based Air Defence for the Drone Era
Skynex is designed specifically for environments where missile-based systems are either ineffective or economically unsustainable. Its 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3 delivers a firing rate of up to 1,000 rounds per minute, with an effective range of approximately four kilometres. The system employs programmable AHEAD ammunition, which is resistant to electronic countermeasures and optimized for engaging drones, cruise missiles, and other aerial threats at low altitude.
Operational experience in Ukraine has demonstrated the effectiveness of cannon-based air defence against mass drone attacks, reinforcing the relevance of Skynex’s design philosophy.
Modular Architecture and Extended Sensor Coverage
Italy has selected the Skynex configuration equipped with Rheinmetall’s XTAR 3D radar, capable of monitoring airspace out to a radius of 50 km. The system is built around a modular, network-centric architecture that separates sensors from effectors, allowing commanders to integrate a wide range of sensors, guns, and legacy air defence systems into a single command-and-control framework.
Existing Rheinmetall systems such as Skyshield and Skyguard can also be connected as firing units, providing Italy with flexibility to expand and adapt its air defence posture depending on mission requirements and threat levels.
With Skynex now operational, Italy joins a small but growing group of European states investing in cost-effective, high-rate-of-fire air defence solutions tailored to counter drones and saturation attacks—an area of rapidly increasing importance across NATO’s southern and eastern flanks.
