Rheinmetall Adds Silvus Passive RF Sensors to Air Defence
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG has agreed with Silvus Technologies to integrate passive radio frequency sensors into its ground-based air defence systems.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Cybersecurity
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG entered into an agreement with Silvus Technologies, a Motorola Solutions company, to integrate Silvus passive RF sensors into its Skynex Air Defence System and Skymaster command and control platform. The sensors add a passive threat detection layer to both systems.
Why it matters
Airspace is becoming more congested with unmanned aircraft and hard-to-detect aerial technologies, and traditional detection methods can struggle to identify new threats in complex operating conditions. Adding passive RF detection aims to close those gaps for ground-based air defence operators.
Silvus RFeye sensors detect and locate aerial platforms by exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum without actively transmitting, which keeps their positions hidden. Their specific detection range and accuracy figures were not disclosed in the source material.
The players
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is the air defence subsidiary of German defence group Rheinmetall, maker of the Skynex air defence system and Skymaster command platform.
Silvus Technologies
Silvus Technologies is a Los Angeles-based radio frequency technology company acquired by Motorola Solutions, known for its StreamCaster MANET radios used by defence and public safety agencies.
The details
Under the agreement, Silvus passive RF sensors will be integrated into Rheinmetall's Skynex Air Defence System and its Skymaster command and control platform. Within Skymaster, the sensors supplement radar coverage by detecting and locating threats without revealing their own positions.
Timeline
Agreement announced in November 2026 according to the source article date.
The Tech Race
The partnership extends Silvus's StreamCaster MANET radio technology, long used by defence and public safety agencies, into passive RF threat detection for ground-based air defence. It reflects a broader push among defence contractors to add non-emitting sensing layers as unmanned aircraft crowd the airspace.
For most readers this agreement has no direct effect, since it concerns military air defence hardware rather than consumer products. Its practical significance lies in how ground-based air defence operators will detect airborne threats in the years ahead.
The takeaway
Passive sensing that does not reveal its own position is becoming a core design goal in defence technology. Readers following military tech should watch whether non-emitting detection layers become standard across air defence platforms.
Further reading
For more on the electronic warfare and sensing technologies behind systems like this, explore our Cybersecurity coverage.
