The Skyranger family of anti-aircraft artillery systems is essentially becoming the main "Shahed-killers" in Europe. Therefore, it’s not surprising that there are already several chassis options for these systems, which don't show significant conceptual differences. For instance, the Skyranger 35 with a 35mm caliber has already been presented on the chassis of Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks, while the Skyranger 30 with a 30mm caliber has been showcased on the chassis of the tracked BMP KF41 Lynx and the wheeled armored vehicles Boxer and Piranha V.
Against this backdrop, one might wonder why to choose another chassis variant for the Skyranger; however, it seems that the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands does not share this view at all. This brings us to another platform for such an anti-aircraft system.
According to the press service of this ministry, the Dutch defense department intends to order 22 Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft artillery systems from the German defense consortium Rheinmetall. It is expected that the contract for the supply of these systems will be concluded "in the near future," with the aim of receiving the first systems by 2028.
Furthermore, it is specified that the base for the Skyranger 30 in the Netherlands will be the tracked armored vehicle ACSV G5 from the German defense company FFG.
The anticipated cost of the order has not been disclosed; there is only a note indicating that the choice of the Skyranger system was influenced by the fact that similar systems have also been ordered by Germany, Denmark, Austria, and other European countries. Additionally, it is mentioned that this way, the Netherlands will receive a "ready-made anti-aircraft artillery complex."
From Defense Express, we would like to draw attention specifically to the choice of chassis, namely the ACSV G5 from the German company FFG, which is still difficult to consider as widespread since this vehicle has just begun production.
Theoretically, the choice of ACSV G5 for the Netherlands appears rational, as this chassis is also the basis for the NOMAD air defense system, which was ordered in the autumn of 2024 to revitalize the ground segment of the Dutch air defense. This means simplifying the maintenance of air defense systems through chassis unification.
However, on the other hand, a question arises about whether the manufacturer, the German company FFG, can ensure the necessary production rates of the ACSV G5 chassis, which will now be needed both as a platform for the NOMAD air defense system and as a platform for the Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft artillery systems.
