Rheinmetall Wins Major Belgian Contract for 20 Skyranger 30 Systems
Rheinmetall has won a Belgian contract for 20 Skyranger 30 air defense systems worth several hundred million euros. The systems will join Belgium's Blue Dome network, with deliveries starting in late 2028.
German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall has secured a contract to supply Belgium with 20 Skyranger 30 air defense systems, in an agreement worth several hundred million euros that will strengthen the country's ability to protect critical infrastructure against drones and other low-altitude aerial threats.
Announced on November 9, the contract covers 20 systems based on a stationary hooklift platform, along with associated logistics support. Rheinmetall described the total value as being in the mid-hundreds of millions of euros, without disclosing an exact figure.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin toward the end of 2028.
The systems will become part of Belgium's Blue Dome air defense architecture, which is intended to improve the protection of national territory and strategically important facilities.
Skyranger 30 to join Belgium's Blue Dome network
The Skyranger 30 is built around a 30 mm automatic cannon designed to engage short-range aerial threats, including unmanned aircraft. The weapon system combines sensors, fire control technology and programmable ammunition to provide a relatively economical response to certain drone threats.
For Belgium, Rheinmetall's configuration will differ from versions mounted on armored combat vehicles. The systems will instead be installed on hooklift platforms intended primarily for stationary deployment.
According to Rheinmetall, the equipment will be fully integrated into the command-and-control architecture of Belgium's Blue Dome program.
This integration is important because effective counter-drone protection increasingly requires coordinated detection, tracking and engagement capabilities rather than isolated weapons operating independently.
Contract strengthens German-Belgian defense cooperation
Rheinmetall said the procurement process took less than 18 months from the beginning of discussions in June 2025. The acquisition was developed in consultation with Belgian authorities and the Netherlands, reflecting increasing coordination between European countries on air defense requirements.
The German company also expects Belgian industry to participate in the program, although specific subcontractors and the distribution of industrial work have not yet been disclosed.
The agreement continues a defense relationship that dates back approximately 50 years. Rheinmetall's predecessor Oerlikon Contraves, working with Krauss-Maffei, supplied Belgium with 36 Gepard anti-aircraft vehicles during the 1970s.
European demand for counter-drone systems continues to grow
The Belgian order adds to Rheinmetall's growing portfolio of European air defense programs as governments invest in capabilities designed to counter drones, cruise missiles and other low-flying threats.
Recent battlefield experience has highlighted the limitations of using expensive missile interceptors against large numbers of inexpensive unmanned aircraft. Cannon-based systems provide another layer of protection, particularly when integrated with radar networks and broader command systems.
For Germany's defense industry, the contract reinforces Rheinmetall's role as a major European supplier of short-range air defense technology and demonstrates continuing demand for systems designed to protect both military assets and civilian infrastructure.
