Germany has approved a €490 million ($565 million) plan to develop and deploy the Small Anti-Drone Missile (SADM), also known as DefendAir, to enhance its Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft vehicles. Produced by MBDA, the new missile system will extend the Skyranger’s range from 2 to 6 kilometers and target small drones weighing up to 150 kilograms. Each vehicle will carry nine to twelve missiles, complementing its onboard cannon and enabling it to destroy up to 30 drones in one engagement, reports Linus Höller of DefenseNews. The Bundeswehr said the upgrade, shaped by lessons from the war in Ukraine, will make the Skyranger fully capable of defending against small and micro drones. The system will also join the European Sky Shield Initiative, a multinational effort to strengthen Europe’s air defenses amid growing drone threats. Höller writes:

Germany is set to develop and deploy a miniature missile designed to combat drones inexpensively, with lawmakers approving a funding proposal on Nov. 5.

Dubbed SADM, the Small Anti-Drone Missile will be fitted onto Rheinmetall-made Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft vehicles. It is meant to complement the primary weapon, the onboard cannon. The new missile will be produced by MBDA, which has called the weapon DefendAir. […]

The missile will extend the Skyranger’s effective engagement range from 2 to about 6 kilometers, according to previous reporting. The new weapons will feature specialized seeker capabilities and a warhead designed to counter drones weighing at most 150 kilograms, known as class 1 UAS. […]

The decision to go with SADM over competing options, including the Stinger missile, was made by the government in May. This week’s approval by the German Bundestag, the country’s parliament, is a legal hurdle that any military procurement project worth at least €25 million ($28.8 million) must clear.[…]

Germany and other European governments have been scrambling to close this critical gap, flagged as a priority in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine starting in February 2022. Alongside Skyranger, Germany has invested in other air defense systems, including the long-range, Israeli-made Arrow 3 interceptor.

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