Germany reinforces Ukraine’s air defense with Skynex system
Germany announced a new defense aid package that strengthened Ukraine's air defense in particular. The news was published on the official website of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany. The new package includes ammunition, missiles for air defense systems, and the Skynex short-range air defense system.
The list of weapons that Berlin handed over to Kyiv also included an unannounced amount of ammunition for Leopard 2A6 tanks. In total, the German defense aid package included:
- 10 Marder infantry fighting vehicles;
- IRIS-T SLM missiles;
- two TRML-4D air surveillance radars;
- Skynex air defense system;
- 9,080 rounds 155mm ammunition;
- two Wisent 1 mine clearing tanks and a Beaver bridge-laying tanks;
- 3350 combat helmets;
- 30 drone detection systems;
- 10 GO12 ground surveillance radars;
- 10 Zetros trucks;
- 3 HX81 truck tractor trains and 1 semi-trailer;
- 34 vehicles;
- 305 MK556 assault rifles and 750,000 million rounds of ammunition for fire arms.
Skynex air defense system by Rheinmetall.
2021 year. Photo credits: Rheinmetall
In addition, 1152 winter camouflage nets and two thousand winter camouflage ponchos had been provided. Last December, Militarnyi reported that Germany would transfer more Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine than previously reported.
According to the updated list of aid from the German government, the country has financed or even transferred 120 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
40 infantry fighting vehicles of 120 had been purchased from the Hellenic Armed Forces and handed over to Rheinmetall for repair and modernization.
A Ukrainian soldier near the Marder 1A3 IFV. Photo from the open sources
Other IFVs, in the amount of 80 units, had been transferred to Ukraine from the depots of the Bundeswehr and Rheinmetall. The first Marder 1A3 IFVs have been transferred to the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.
Patriot air defense system of the German Air Force.
Photo credits: Luftwaffe
The German government also handed over a second Patriot air defense system to Ukraine to protect it from Russian air strikes.