Hensoldt passive radar integrated for air defence during Exercise Timber Express 2026

Rheinmetall's Oerlikon Skymaster C2 system for its Skynex air defence architecture. (Rheinmetall )

The air picture generated by Hensoldt's Twinvis passive radar was integrated into Rheinmetall's Oerlikon Skymaster command-and-control (C2) system during the German Air Force's exercise Timber Express 2026, according to a 19 August 2026 Rheinmetall press release.

Skymaster is Rheinmetall's air-defence command-and-control and weapon-engagement system; during the exercise, it controlled the Skynex battery used in the scenario.

A common air picture was achieved by correlating sensor data within NATO's Link 16 network. The systems were integrated “under realistic NATO networking conditions”, Rheinmetall said.

The company also said that findings from the exercise provide “a foundation” for integrating passive sensing with Rheinmetall's cannon-based short range air defence (SHORAD) Skynex system, its mobile air defence system Skyranger, and its counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system Skyspotter.

Rheinmetall told Janes in October 2025that the Skymaster C2 suite can connect the three air defence systems. Skymaster has the capability to combine active and passive radars with electro-optical (EO) sensors for an air picture, the company added.

Twinvis detects and tracks objects by analysing reflections of signals broadcast by existing radio and television transmitters. It employs multiple transmission sources from various locations to identify the position of targets, according to Janes C4ISR & Mission Systems: Land.

Hensoldt says Twinvis can fuse data from up to 16 frequency modulation (FM) transmitters and five single-frequency networks using digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and digital video broadcasting — terrestrial (DVB-T). It can create an air picture (from a few km to around 100 km depending on the operational scenario) with no signal emissions of its own. A single Twinvis can provide 3D surveillance of up to 200 aircraft within a 250 km radius, adds the company.