Rheinmetall’s new early warning solution has pushed past challenging climate and remote environments, proving its capabilities against a variety of drones in a series of trials.
Skyspotter is the German firm’s multi-sensory early warning system built to detect, identify, and track airborne threats, with a focus on defending critical infrastructure from drone attacks.
A mobile variant was mounted on a Rheinmetall HX Truck during the trials, taking on both jet drones and small quadcopters at varying speeds.
Passive emitter locator sensors were also scattered across the testing area to help identify and locate drones, while a specialized command-and-control shelter allowed operators to control the system safely from a distance.
The trials, part of the Ground-based Air Defense (GBAD) Demo Days 2025 in Finland, were conducted in partnership with US-based XD Solution and the Finnish Armed Forces.
“The GBAD Demo Days 2025 have impressively highlighted the importance of partnership-based cooperation in the further development of modern air defense capabilities,” Rheinmetall’s electronic solutions lead Oliver Dürr said.
Offensive Options
Skyspotter can cue different countermeasures based on the threat profile, allowing operators to choose between electronic jamming or launching an interceptor drone.
Rheinmetall is also exploring a kinetic option in the form of a highly flexible 30mm revolver gun. Still at the concept stage, the system would fire programmable, non-explosive rounds designed to neutralize targets through direct impact rather than blast effects.
“We would like to thank the Finnish Armed Forces for the invitation and the excellent cooperation, as well as our industry partners and our Finnish partner Oy Telva,” Dürr said.
“Their commitment and expertise have contributed significantly to successfully demonstrating the performance of our systems under realistic conditions.”
