Rheinmetall plans to develop the Frankenstein hybrid vehicle for Ukraine, combining the Leopard 1 tank chassis with the Skyranger air defense system to counter russian attack drones and missiles.
Bjorn Bernhard, head of Rheinmetall’s ground systems department, announced the initiative during a visit to the company’s workshop in Ukraine, as reported by The Telegraph on Monday, June 17.
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“There are numerous Leopard 1 main battle tanks on which we could mount the Skyranger turrets equipped with 35 mm automatic cannons,” Bernhard stated.
The Skyranger system is designed to neutralize short-range threats, specifically targeting drones and artillery fire. This development addresses the evolving combat landscape in Ukraine, which has increasingly been characterized as the “first drone war”.
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