Skynex, a highly technological anti-aircraft artillery system from German arms maker Rheinmetall, has been in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces since the spring of 2023. Despite being in active use for over two years, any footage or evidence of its combat engagements remains very rare.
However, the Air Command "West" of the Ukrainian Air Force has allowed a glimpse at the system's performance in the latest official video. The story, in particular, answers the question of exactly how many shots a Skynex needs to neutralize a Shahed-136/131 loitering munition — a formidable airborne threat terrorizing Ukrainian cities. Louder than any spec sheets, the clip shows in practice how much ammunition it took to down a Shahed on August 21, 2025.
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As clearly seen in the video, a common burst against a target as typical as the Shahed-136 takes 10 shots. It is unclear whether it's the guideline prescription, but at least in this footage, the very first shot effectively destroyed the aerial vehicle, while the rest were fired just to make sure.
Important to note, Skynex uses shells with a programmable timed detonation that makes the round explode right next to the target and blast it with fragmentation. It's called the Rheinmetall Ahead system, and it works due to several unique design features.
First, it measures the distance to the target and its speed with maximum accuracy using its sensor suite. Another sensor takes a measure of the projectile's speed as it leaves the muzzle. This data gives the system all the data needed to determine the exact time of shell detonation right in front of the target. Then, an inductive programmer sets the time fuze inside the projectile during the measly 2 microseconds while it passes through the muzzle device.
As a result, the 35x228 mm Skynex projectile explodes right in front of the target and hits it with 152 tungsten elements — just like recorded in the footage from the Ukrainian command.
A deeper dive into the shell's mechanics is offered by Rheinmetall's video, showcasing an example where a concept effectively translates into reality just as intended:
Side note, while being efficient, Skynex is not a cheap system at all, despite belonging to the traditionally budget-friendly category of anti-aircraft artillery. A January 2025 procurement contract with Italy reveals that one Skynex system with four 35mm fire units, one sensor unit, and a command post costs €73 million.
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