Rheinmetall said Tuesday, it has successfully demonstrated its counter-small unmanned aerial systems (C-sUAS) capabilities during the Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) Demo Days hosted by the Finnish Armed Forces at the Lohtaja firing range.
Invited by Finland’s Inspector of Air Defence, Rheinmetall Air Defence AG showcased its systems under demanding weather conditions in a remote forested environment. The demonstrations involved a range of aerial threats, from jet-powered drones to small quadcopters, and focused on the detection, classification and tracking of unmanned aircraft across different airspaces and flight profiles. Rheinmetall said cooperation with event organizer XD Solution and the Finnish Armed Forces highlighted the operational maturity of the technologies presented.
At the center of the demonstration was Skyspotter, Rheinmetall’s multi-sensor early-warning and reconnaissance system designed to protect critical infrastructure and wide areas from drone threats. The company presented a rapidly deployable configuration mounted on a Rheinmetall HX truck, developed in cooperation with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, illustrating the system’s modular and flexible architecture. An integrated setup combining Skyspotter, dispersed passive emitter locator sensors and a deployable command-and-control shelter was also demonstrated, allowing operators to control engagements from a protected distance.
Rheinmetall said Skyspotter can be paired with multiple effectors, including directional jammers, interceptor drones and a 30mm Revolver Gun currently in the conceptual phase, using programmable KETF kinetic-energy ammunition. Oliver Dürr, head of Rheinmetall’s Electronic Solutions Division, said the event underscored the importance of close cooperation with armed forces and industry partners, thanking the Finnish Armed Forces and local partner Oy Telva for enabling realistic operational testing.
