Unmanned mini-tank Ripsaw is presented, which will become a highly mobile defense against UAVs, cruise missiles and aircraft
A new version of the Ripsaw unmanned mini-tank with a turret armed with a 30-mm automatic cannon and short-range surface-to-air missiles was presented. This combination is positioned as an anti-drone system, but can be used against many other airborne threats, including cruise missiles and low-flying aircraft.
American Rheinmetall, the U.S. subsidiary of German defense contractor Rheinmetall, has introduced a version of the Ripsaw focused on air defense. Rheinmetall, the supplier of the Skyranger 30 tower, first announced the system in early October.
The Skyranger 30 is a tower with a main armament consisting of a 30-mm Oerlikon KCE automatic gun with a 250-round magazine. The KCE is designed to fire specialized Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) airburst munitions. AHEAD projectiles receive data on the optimal time for air explosion when they leave the barrel of the weapon. When they detonate, they produce a cone-shaped cloud of tungsten submunitions, which increases the likelihood of a hit, especially on small targets such as drones and cruise missiles.
The tower can also fire short-range surface-to-air missiles from a retractable launcher located in the upper left rear of the tower. The launcher can be loaded with two missiles of different types.
The turret can be equipped with a twin handgun for local self-defense. This machine gun, along with a 30-mm cannon, can be used to hit ground targets. The Skyranger 30 also has two built-in nine-round smoke grenade launchers to help conceal the entire system if necessary.
Skyranger 30 has many built-in sensors. This includes S-band radar arrays with five separate flat antenna arrays with active electronic scanning arranged around the tower for full 360-degree coverage.
There is also a passive guidance system called Fast Infrared Search and Track (FIRST). This is a valuable alternative to the system’s radar, especially when it comes to detecting and tracking stealthy threats that have significant electronic warfare capabilities. FIRST can also help in the rapid detection and identification of threats, including those that may appear suddenly, especially small ones such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Ripsaw M5 chassis on which the Skyranger 30 tower was mounted is the latest evolution of the Ripsaw family of machines. The M5 version of the drone has a base weight of 10.5 tons. It has a load capacity of four tons, which is more than enough to accommodate a Skyranger 30 weighing 2.5 tons.
The M5 hybrid electric powertrain can accelerate the Ripsaw version to speeds in excess of 40 km/h, but its top speed will depend on the payload. Hybrid-electric powertrains also allow for quiet operation. This can help reduce its infrared and acoustic signatures, making it harder for enemy forces to detect.
The Skyranger 30 can provide short-range air defense against a range of airborne threats, including drones, cruise missiles, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. They can be made even more effective by networking them and connecting them with data from external sensors.
A fully unmanned system has a certain level of autonomy that can allow it to act ahead of its operators. This can help expand the area of air defense coverage without increasing the risk to human personnel. This means that a small group of people can potentially provide a significant air defense capability.
