Ukraine debuts Skyranger 35 air defense systems on Leopard 1 chassis

The Ukrainian 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment has released footage showcasing the first Skyranger 35 short-range air defense systems mounted on Leopard 1 tank chassis. This marks the first public appearance of the advanced weaponry, which was developed by Rheinmetall in 2023, making the Ukrainian military the first in the world to utilize the system.

The Skyranger 35 features a KDG 35/1000 revolver cannon capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute with an effective range of up to 4,000 meters. It utilizes air-burst ammunition designed to intercept small, fast-moving threats such as Shahed drones and FPV drones.

The procurement was part of a contract worth hundreds of millions of euros, announced in late 2025. The initiative is reportedly funded by an unnamed European Union member state using interest generated from frozen Russian assets. Production and integration of these tracked variants were handled by Rheinmetall Italia in Rome.