Skythunder

History

The Skythunder is a gun-based air defence system developed by the Slovenian company Valhalla Turrets, based in Ljubljana. The manufacturer announced a new 20 mm version of the system via the social media platform X, describing it as "coming soon." The system is designed to engage UAVs and other low-altitude aerial targets and to protect critical infrastructure against mass drone attacks.

The 20 mm configuration combines a General Dynamics M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon with 70 mm laser-guided rockets and full 360-degree radar coverage. Company renders show the turret mounted on an Oshkosh FMTV 6×6 truck chassis from the U.S. military's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, the same type of truck used to carry the U.S. Army's HIMARS rocket launcher. The system includes sensor-driven automated target detection and tracking and is designed for integration into wider layered air defence networks. The manufacturer describes the Skythunder as mobile, modular, and cost-effective against high-volume drone threats.

The M197 is a lightweight three-barrel variant of the six-barrel M61A1 Vulcan. According to the cannon's manufacturer, General Dynamics, it is capable of a rate of fire of up to 1,500 rounds per minute, weighs approximately 60 kg, and achieves a muzzle velocity of 1,030 m/s. The M197 is also fitted in the nose turret of U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters. Performance range figures for the 20 mm Skythunder configuration have not yet been published.

Variants

At the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris in June 2026, Valhalla Turrets presented the Skythunder 300, a heavier configuration mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Zetros 8×8 truck chassis. It builds on the technologies of the Mangart 30 remotely operated weapon station and is armed with a Northrop Grumman MK44S Bushmaster 30 mm automatic cannon, a separate rotating turret mounting a Dillon Aero M134D 7.62 mm six-barrel machine gun, and Arnold Defense LAND-LGR4 70 mm guided rockets. The system is equipped with three Hensoldt Spexer 2000 radars providing 360-degree airspace surveillance. According to the manufacturer, the 30 mm cannon has an effective engagement range of up to 2.5 km against larger UAVs, the machine gun up to 1 km against small drones, and the rocket armament up to 6 km.

Program Status

Valhalla Turrets has announced the 20 mm Skythunder as "coming soon" without disclosing a procurement timeline, funding amount, or production schedule. The company specialises in remote-controlled turrets and weapon stations and works as a development partner for several larger European defence companies.