During the 29th edition of Eurosatory 2026, the international defense industry trade show organized by Coges Events and taking place June 15-19 of this year in Paris-Nord Villepinte near Paris, German group Rheinmetall AG presented the Skyspotter unmanned aerial vehicle detection system and the Oerlikon Revolver Gun 30 30mm automatic anti-aircraft cannon with programmable ammunition for counter-drone operations. Both systems were mounted on RMMV HX2 heavy truck chassis.
Skyspotter / Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The Skyspotter system further expands Rheinmetall AG’s already broad counter-drone portfolio with a specialized solution for critical infrastructure protection.
The number of drone incidents at European airports is steadily increasing. In addition to careless hobbyists, security authorities are increasingly focusing on targeted acts of sabotage and hybrid attacks. These incidents are practically impossible to predict, yet regularly lead to serious operational disruptions and enormous economic losses. They underscore the urgent need to drastically increase the resilience of our vulnerable airport infrastructure.
Skyspotter was developed as a multi-sensor early warning system. Its primary task is to detect potential aerial threats well in advance, identify them precisely, and track them seamlessly. Through the intelligent combination of various sensor technologies, the system provides security forces with the necessary real-time information to enable decision-making and flexible response to threats in the sensitive airspace around airports.
With Skyspotter, Rheinmetall AG underscores its position as a leading provider of comprehensive and tailored counter-drone solutions for both civilian and military applications.
The counter-drone sensors and jammers are integrated in a sensor unit housed in a 10-foot container and include:
- S- and X-band radars (with ranges of 5 km and 7.5 km respectively);
- an electro-optical (EO) reconnaissance system with daylight and thermal cameras combined with a laser rangefinder;
- an AI-based automatic cueing, tracking, and identification system, including in high-clutter environments;
- integrated jammers with an electro-optical sensor;
- a passive emitter locator (PEL) based on Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) multilateralization technology;
- an ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) air traffic tracking receiver with FLARM airborne collision avoidance system;
As emphasized, Skyspotter can be rapidly prepared for operation and integrated with counter-air threat assets such as interceptor drones, missiles, or 30mm automatic cannons.
The kit is complemented by a command and control (C2) system housed in a second 10-foot container, along with an electronics rack and an operator workstation, which combines sensor data and threat assessments and assigns countermeasures. The workstation displays a local air situation picture and connects to the higher air defense command echelon via the ASTERIX data exchange protocol. The command system is also compatible with the SAPIENT (Sensing for Asset Protection with Integrated Electronic Networked Technology) protocol, through which the sensor itself processes data locally, detecting and classifying threats.
