Belgium Orders 20 Skyranger 30 Air Defence Systems From Rheinmetall, With Deliveries From Late 2028
Rheinmetall has signed a contract worth several hundred million euros to supply Belgium with 20 Skyranger 30 air defence systems. Deliveries start at the end of 2028, and the systems will protect Belgian critical infrastructure against drones and other airborne threats, Defence Industry Europe reported on Nov. 9, 2026.
What the contract includes
- 20 Skyranger 30 systems plus logistics support.
- Deliveries scheduled to begin at the end of 2028.
- Systems mounted on hooklift platforms and used from fixed positions.
- Integration into the command-and-control network of Belgium’s Blue Dome programme.
- Belgian technology companies expected to join the supply chain.
Rheinmetall said Belgium signed less than 18 months after talks began in June 2025, consulting the Netherlands and Rheinmetall during procurement. Roman Köhne, CEO of Rheinmetall Air Defence, noted that Oerlikon Contraves supplied Belgium with 36 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks 50 years ago and called the new contract “a new chapter”.
What is the Skyranger 30?
A Rheinmetall short-range air defence family built around a 30 mm gun, used against drones, helicopters and low-altitude threats. Belgium’s fixed-site use for infrastructure defence differs from the mobile role the system is usually associated with.
Background
Army Recognition reported in July 2026 that Belgium planned to buy 20 Skyranger alongside 10 Kongsberg NASAMS launchers under a €3.1 billion framework. That figure covers the whole package, not the price of the Skyranger; the November contract covers only the Skyranger side.
Turkish alternative
In the same class is Türkiye’s 35 mm gun-based KORKUT, developed by ASELSAN with MKE. The two differ in platform, ammunition and role; see our Gepard vs KORKUT comparison. Belgium’s choice rests on joint procurement with the Netherlands and should not be read as a head-to-head competition result.
Not disclosed
- The exact contract value (only “several hundred million euros”).
- The yearly delivery split.
- The ammunition package and spares scope.
Sources: Rheinmetall statement as reported by Defence Industry Europe, Nov. 9, 2026; Army Recognition, July 2026.
