Skyspotter

Rheinmetall has demonstrated its countermeasures against small unmanned aerial systems during the Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) Demo Days at the Lohtaja firing range in Finland. According to a press release from Rheinmetall, representatives of Rheinmetall Air Defence AG were invited to take part in the event by the Inspector of Air Defence of the Finnish Armed Forces. The demonstration took place in a remote forest area under challenging climatic conditions and was organized in cooperation with XD Solution and the Finnish Armed Forces. Company says the trials were designed to replicate realistic operational scenarios, with threats ranging from jet-powered drones to small quadcopters. Rheinmetall said the event focused on the detection, classification, and tracking of a wide variety of unmanned aerial systems operating at different speeds and in different airspaces. At the center of the presentation was Skyspotter, Rheinmetall’s multi-sensory early warning and reconnaissance system. As noted by the company, Skyspotter is designed to detect, classify, and track airborne threats and is intended to protect critical infrastructure and secure large areas against drone attacks. Rheinmetall said Skyspotter is built on an open architecture that allows the integration of different sensors and effectors depending on the threat level. This design is intended to give operators flexibility as drone technologies and tactics continue to evolve. In cooperation with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH, the company presented a rapidly deployable version of the Skyspotter system mounted on a Rheinmetall HX truck. According to the company, this configuration demonstrates the system’s mobility and its ability to be deployed quickly to protect forward positions or sensitive sites. During the GBAD Demo Days, Rheinmetall also presented an integrated system setup combining Skyspotter with several dislocated Passive Emitter Locator sensors and a rapidly deployable, specialized command-and-control shelter. The company said this arrangement enables effective command and control from a safe distance from active components while improving the protection of operating personnel. The demonstration highlighted how the different elements are intended to work together as a single system, allowing operators to maintain situational awareness while coordinating responses to multiple aerial threats. Rheinmetall says this integrated approach is central to modern ground-based air defense concepts, where speed of detection and response is critical. Skyspotter can be paired with a range of countermeasures, according to Rheinmetall. These include directional jammers, interceptor drones, and the Revolver Gun 30mm system, which is currently in the conceptual phase. The Revolver Gun is designed to use individually programmable KETF ammunition, which relies on kinetic energy impact rather than explosive effects. The company said this layered approach allows forces to select appropriate responses based on the type of drone, its behavior, and the surrounding environment, reducing the risk of collateral damage while maintaining effective defense. In a statement, Oliver Dürr, Head of Rheinmetall’s Electronic Solutions Division, emphasized the cooperative aspect of the demonstration. “The GBAD Demo Days 2025 have impressively highlighted the importance of partnership-based cooperation in the further development of modern air defence capabilities. We would like to thank the Finnish Armed Forces for the invitation and the excellent cooperation, as well as our industry partners and our Finnish partner Oy Telva. Their commitment and expertise have contributed significantly to successfully demonstrating the performance of our systems under realistic conditions,” Dürr said.

Skyspotter

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Skyspotter

Rheinmetall tests counter-drone systems in Finland

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