¿La Skynex alemana fracasó en Ucrania?

In April 2026, during a Russian attack on an industrial facility in western Ukraine, a critical failure occurred involving the German-made Skynex air defense system. According to reports published by the German magazine *Stern*, which cited internal assessments from the Ukrainian military, the system failed to intercept an incoming drone despite being equipped with advanced technology. The incident has raised serious concerns about the reliability and effectiveness of this high-cost defense system, which was previously promoted as a highly effective solution against Russian drones and even cruise missiles.

The Skynex system, developed by the German manufacturer Rheinmetall, consists of two batteries, each containing eight 35mm gun modules, two X-TAR3D radar systems, and two command posts. These components were supposed to work together to ensure overlapping coverage, allowing any target within the protected area to be engaged by at least two guns simultaneously. During the attack on the industrial site, the radars detected two drones approximately 20 kilometers away. One of these drones entered the firing range of two gun modules but was only struck once, resulting in a missed shot. The drone then struck infrastructure belonging to an unnamed company before exploding.

According to the Ukrainian assessment cited by *Stern*, the failure to intercept the drone was attributed to a combination of technical malfunctions and tracking issues. Three of the eight gun modules became non-operational within a few minutes due to hydraulic problems, radar tracking issues, and difficulties with ammunition loading. As a result, only two of the eight gun systems could reliably track the target. This led to a conclusion that the Skynex system demonstrated “low technical operational readiness,” operated “exceptionally unreliably,” and did not meet the specifications outlined by its manufacturer.

Rheinmetall declined to comment on specific operational data, citing security reasons. However, the company stated that the Skynex had “shown exceptional effectiveness” in Ukraine and emphasized that this evaluation came directly from the Ukrainian side. A government official quoted by *Stern* suggested that too few Skynex systems had been deployed in Ukraine to draw definitive conclusions about their overall effectiveness based on a single incident. The official also noted the possibility of operator error contributing to the failure.

The incident raises significant questions about the performance of the Skynex system, particularly given its high cost. Each battery of the Skynex is estimated to be worth around €90 million, making the failure all the more concerning. The system was primarily marketed as a highly effective defense mechanism against unmanned aerial vehicles, and this incident could undermine confidence in its primary purpose. It also casts doubt on the related Skyranger 35 system, which uses the same 35mm gun concept and is expected to be introduced into service in Ukraine soon.

It is important to note that the information presented by *Stern* is based on a single recorded incident, which may not be sufficient to make broad judgments about the system's overall effectiveness. Factors such as maintenance issues or the availability of spare parts have not been addressed in the available information. Additionally, the broader article in *Stern* highlights the complexity of evaluating military equipment based on isolated incidents, emphasizing the need for further analysis and testing.

Despite the concerns raised by this incident, the Skynex system remains a significant component of Ukraine’s air defense strategy. Its deployment in 2023 marked a major step in equipping Ukrainian forces with advanced Western technology. However, this incident serves as a reminder that real-world performance can sometimes fall short of marketing claims, as seen with other Western defense systems in previous conflicts. The outcome of this situation will depend on how both Ukraine and Germany address the technical shortcomings identified and whether additional measures are taken to improve the system’s reliability and effectiveness in future operations.