Germany conducts first test of its advanced anti-drone defense system

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Rheinmetall AG is a German technology group based in Düsseldorf. The company's origins trace back to the late 1890s, when it was originally called the Rheinische Metal and Machine Factory Corporation. Across decades, Rheinmetall gradually expanded from producing machinery products into multiple sectors, including defense, arms, and automotive components. As a result, it is now capable of delivering some of the most advanced mobile weapons systems in the world. The company designs and manufactures a broad selection of vehicles, including the Leopard 2 main battle tank, the Boxer armored fighting vehicle, and the Martyr infantry fighting vehicle. Rheinmetall operates worldwide and supplies clients in both the civil and defense sectors, although the German army remains among its main customers in recent years defense organizations worldwide have become increasingly conscious of the threats created by drones also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles drones are remotely operated or autonomous aircraft that range in size from large planes to nearly invisible handheld devices even so even the smallest drones can penetrate friendly airspace to gather intelligence or carry out precision strikes. To counter drone threats, Rheinmetall developed its Skynex truck. This advanced vehicle is highly mobile and incorporates sophisticated features throughout. However, it essentially serves as a platform for the SkyShield anti-aircraft system. This includes a 35-millimeter revolver cannon with a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute. Fitted with powerful sensors and integrated radar systems, the gun can eliminate an entire swarm of small surveillance drones in less than a second. The SkyShield system can be deployed at multiple defense locations, but it offers greater protection when mobile. While the Skynex truck transports the cannon between positions, Rheinmetall chose to develop an even more adaptable version of the weapon, known as the Skyranger 35. This all-terrain armored vehicle is fast and capable of traversing complex landscapes with ease. Its eight wheels allow it to overcome obstacles quickly and efficiently, while the automated cannon employs state-of-the-art search and tracking sensors to engage targets on land and in the air. With a range of 4,000 meters and 360-degree firing capability, the cannon is an extremely effective weapon against many different threats, especially drones. Rheinmetall AG's extensive history enables it to design and produce a wide variety of products, including munitions. In fact, the German company is a global leader in the field of artillery, mortar, and infantry systems. In 2021, the company even succeeded in setting three new world records for long-range artillery firing. A G6 howitzer with a .52 caliber gun fired a conventional 155 mm round more than 47 miles, marking the longest shot ever achieved with this combination. The munitions are developed across several locations using state-of-the-art production and design techniques. The outcome is some of the most powerful and capable artillery in the world. Another European company known for producing high-quality defense equipment is Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów, more commonly referred to as ZMT. This Polish defense company has specialized in the design, development, and production of military equipment and systems since 1917. Its product range includes artillery systems, rocket launchers, mortars, and ammunition. ZMT places strong emphasis on research and development, continually working to improve its results and introduce new technologies. Similar to Rheinmetall, ZMT has invested substantial time and resources into developing counter-UAV systems. The resulting system is called the PSRA Pilika surface-to-air system. The Pilika is intended to deliver air defense capabilities to protect military units and strategic assets from low- to medium-altitude aerial threats such as UAVs and cruise missiles. The guns feature advanced radar technology for detecting, identifying, and tracking targets, which can then be engaged using different guns and missiles depending on the nature of the threat. Most importantly, the PSRA Pilika is highly mobile and can be rapidly deployed across a variety of combat scenarios. Its Grom missile has a range of up to 5,000 meters and uses explosive fragmentation to destroy enemy targets. With the Western world returning to conventional military confrontation, the need to create breaches in enemy-layered defenses has returned. To achieve this, Rheinmetall designed the next generation of its armored breaching vehicle, known as the Keiler NG. Built on the Leopard 2 chassis, the Keiler NG measures 13.5 meters in length, 5.63 meters in width, and has a maximum mass of 63 tons. At the front, the Keiler NG is fitted with a Pearson mine plow capable of clearing mines at speeds of up to 250 meters per minute. It also features the the Plowfatter rocket-assisted mine-clearing system, which can breach minefields and obstacles up to 160 meters long and nine meters wide within minutes. In addition, its advanced lane-marking system designates safe paths for following forces, even in low visibility or nighttime conditions. Another innovative method the German Army employs to detonate mines is the mine-clearing ladder. The entire system is stored in two containers, which are extremely heavy and require agility and strength to carry into the minefield. Four soldiers transport the two containers, connect them at the designated location, and prepare the system for launch. The mine clearing ladder resembles a rope ladder. However, its rungs are packed with explosives. The total explosive quantity of a mine clearing ladder is nearly 80 kilos. the soldiers detonate the charges and immediately retreat toward the armored vehicle. Immediately after the launch sequence, the mine-clearing ladder is deployed and within 30 seconds detonates in the field, clearing the area for the German army. The United States military uses the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle to clear enemy minefields. Built on the M1 Abrams chassis, The U.S. military's ABV is equipped with a mine plow and line charges. These tracked combat vehicles were specifically designed to create safe lanes for troops and vehicles through minefields. It carries a limited armament consisting of a .50 caliber machine gun and a front-mounted 15-foot-wide plow supported by metallic skis that slide across the ground, and backed by nearly 7,000 pounds of explosives. The ABVs are equipped with a Linear Demolition Charge System, which includes rockets carrying C4 explosives that detonate buried charges from a safe distance, allowing troops and vehicles to move through safely. The United States military has several additional methods for clearing minefields, including the use of a Mine Clearing Line Charge. The MCLIC contains 1,700 pounds of C4 and a rocket that deploys the explosive in a linear charge roughly 100 meters long to destroy mines. In June 2023, U.S. military personnel conducted a mounted breach by deploying the MCLIC into a known minefield. By successfully destroying mines already emplaced in the area, U.S. military personnel demonstrated combat readiness and tactical proficiency. The United States military has also recently explored the use of microwave and directed energy weapons to shoot down UAVs. There are multiple types of DEWs, each employing a different method to disable aircraft. Microwave weapons, for example, use high-powered electromagnetic radiation to disrupt or damage a drone's electronic components. By damaging the aircraft's communication systems, flight controls, or onboard sensors, these weapons can cause the drone to lose control, malfunction, or crash. Electromagnetic Pulse EMP weapons release a short, intense burst of electromagnetic energy that induces powerful electrical currents. When aimed at a drone, an EMP can overload and destroy its sensitive electronic circuitry, rendering it unusable. These systems fire a concentrated beam of light at the drone, melting the target in midair. The C-RAM weapon system, which stands for Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar, is one of the latest solutions the United States uses to protect its military installations and forward operating bases from aerial threats. Although the system could theoretically be employed against drones, it is primarily designed to intercept incoming rockets and artillery, which travel much faster and are far more difficult to engage. The origins of the C-RAM system date back to the early 2000s, when the United States military faced growing threats from rocket attacks during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The development of the C-RAM system involved integrating radar for detection and tracking, command and control systems for situational awareness, and multiple types of intercepting weapons to directly engage threats. The most notable is the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, which uses a rapid-fire 20mm Gatling gun and a radar-guided system to destroy incoming threats at distances of up to 1,600 yards. The weapon's six barrels allow for a minimum firing rate of 2,000 rounds per minute, effectively creating a storm of bullets to overwhelm the target. Modern battlefields are being transformed by drones, precision munitions, and layered defenses, compelling militaries to reconsider how they detect, protect against, and penetrate enemy systems. From Rheinmetall's mobile air defense and breaching vehicles to Polish and American counter UAV, mine clearing, and directed energy solutions, today's armed forces depend on a combination of mobility, automation, and overwhelming firepower. These technologies are not solely about destruction, but about enabling freedom of movement and survivability in contested environments. As threats continue to evolve, the competition between offense and defense will only intensify, making systems like these essential to future military operations. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time.