ULM, Germany, Aug 24, 2026 – During the German Air Force’s Timber Express 2026 exercise, HENSOLDT‘s Twinvis passive radar fed an air picture into Rheinmetall’s Skymaster command and weapon engagement system, which was directing a Skynex Air Defence battery in the scenario.
The two systems produced a common air picture by fusing and correlating sensor data over NATO’s Link 16 network, running the integration under NATO conditions. Twinvis detected and tracked air targets throughout the trial.
Twinvis is a passive radar built on digital technology for military airspace surveillance or civil air traffic control. Because it emits no signal, it carries no identification to increase network survivability.
Inside Skymaster, Twinvis joins active radar and electro-optical sensors to form a single air picture. That combination supports low-emission air surveillance under an emissions control strategy (EMCON) and improves situational awareness for protecting infrastructure, critical facilities, and mobile military units. The findings carry over to stationary Skynex systems, mobile Skyranger solutions, and counter-UAS systems such as Skyspotter.
German Air Force organizations, the exercise management team, and technical teams from Rheinmetall Air Defence and HENSOLDT took part, producing a NATO-compatible integration.
Source: Hensoldt AG
About Hensoldt AG
Hensoldt AG is a German defense electronics and sensor technology company founded in 2017. It develops radar, optoelectronic, avionics and electronic warfare systems for defense, security and aerospace customers worldwide, including military, government and civil agencies. The company builds and integrates systems used for protection, surveillance and situational awareness across air, land, sea and space domains. Hensoldt also provides lifecycle services, training and simulation tools for its equipment. The company operates production sites in Germany, France, the UK and South Africa, with sales offices supporting global markets. Hensoldt is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It employs about 9,000 people worldwide. Hensoldt works across defense, aerospace and security sectors and supplies systems for military platforms, radar networks and sensor applications. The company traces its origins to former Airbus Defense and Space sensor operations before its spin-off. Hensoldt’s products and services support armed forces, government agencies and allied defense programs.
About Rheinmetall Air Defence
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG, based in Zurich, makes air-defense systems for military forces and civil infrastructure operators. The company adopted its current name in 2009, when it was Oerlikon Contraves AG. It traces its founding to 1989. Its products include the Skynex and Skyranger short-range systems, the Skyshield, the X-TAR3D radar, and the Millennium, Searanger, and Seaguard naval systems. The portfolio spans fire control, automatic cannon, guided missiles, AHEAD airburst ammunition, and air-surveillance radars. Armed forces in more than 40 nations use its products. The company also makes counter-drone systems for public security and defense, and offers training, maintenance, and combat-performance upgrades. Its proving ground at Ochsenboden, Switzerland, tests ammunition, weapons, and complete systems.
