35 мм Oerlikon зениттік қондырғысы және Skyguard басқару жүйесі

The Oerlikon GDF or Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon is a towed anti aircraft gun made by Oerlikon Contraves (renamed as Rheinmetall Air Defence AG following the merger with Rheinmetall in 2009). The system was originally designated 2 ZLA/353 ML but this was later changed to GDF 001. It was developed in the late 1950s and is used by around 30 countries.

The system uses twin autocannons, firing 35×228mm NATO standard ammunition. It was originally designated 353 MK and is now designated as the KD series. The same KD series 35mm cannons are used in the Leopard 1 based Gepard and Type 74 tank based Type 87 SPAAG and Marksman self propelled anti aircraft guns (SPAAG). The system could be paired with the off gun (remote) Super Fledermaus fire control radar, which in the late 1970s was upgraded to the Skyguard system. The weapons were aimed either directly, by way of an advanced sighting system, or automatically, by locking onto the target with radar. Early models carried 112 rounds ready to fire, and an additional 126 stored on the chassis as reloads. Later versions with automated reloading carry 280 rounds total. A typical engagement burst is 28 rounds.

The Super Fledermaus fire control system was designed and built by the then separate Contraves company. It consists of a four wheeled towed trailer with an E/F band pulse doppler search radar with a range of around 15 km and a pulse doppler tracking radar operating in the J band, also with a range of 15 km. It was also used as the fire control system on the Gepard SPAAG.

The Skyguard is a fire control system introduced in the 1960s to replace the Contraves Super Fledermaus system in the Swiss Air Force. It is produced by Oerlikon Buehrle (now Rheinmetall Air Defence). Updated version were fielded in 1975, 1995 and 2010. It's an all weather low to medium altitude (up to 3,000 m) air defence system with the maximum effective distance of 4,000 m.

The Skyguard fire control system performs air surveillance, target acquisition, calculation of the derivative action values and control of the twin 35 mm guns. Pulse doppler search radar, pulse doppler tracking radar and co axial television camera are mounted on the roof of the towed trailer. Skyguard is operated by four people. The radar is deployed quickly through the use of hydraulic systems for antenna erection. The trailer houses the crew of two and a small power generator. A typical fire unit consists of two twin 35 mm gun platforms with a single Skyguard fire control radar. Skyguard systems can also incorporate an optional SAM module based on the GDF's mount and radar system but with the guns replaced by four missile canisters. It can be armed with either AIM 7 Sparrow, RIM 7 Sea Sparrow or Aspide missiles. The Skyguard radar system was used in the German Air Force for surveillance of low altitude flight zones. In Taiwanese service, the system includes the Sky Sentinel radar, one 35 mm Oerlikon twin gun and an AIM 7 Sparrow Missile Launcher. Greek service the Skyguard system with RIM 7M is known as the VELOS. In Spanish service, Toledo is a Skyguard system with Aspide launchers where the fire control unit has been replaced with Skydor from Navantia.

1982: The system was widely used by Argentine forces during the Falklands War. The Skyguard radar system was employed by the 601 Antiaircraft Artillery Group and the Super Fledermaus by the 1st Group of the Argentinian Air Force. The Skyguard succeeded in shooting down a Sea Harrier (XZ450) on 4 May 1982 at Goose Green. This resulted in a shift of tactics, so that British aircraft largely operated outside the weapons system's range. An RAF Harrier (XZ988) was shot down by these cannons again over Goose Green on 27 May. The system was also employed in direct fire mode against British paratroopers during the Battle of Goose Green, killing two and wounding 11 and stopping the advance of two companies. The guns were involved in two deadly friendly fire incidents during the campaign. The first took place on 1 May 1982, when a GADA 601 battery fired three burst of 35 mm rounds at an Argentine Mirage III attempting to make an emergency landing at Stanley, after the aircraft had been already targeted by Argentine Marine Hispano Suiza HS 831 30mm guns deployed along the town. The aircraft fell in flames north of the airport, killing the pilot. The other friendly shootdown occurred at Goose Green, when one A 4 Skyhawk flew by mistake over a banned zone, and was shot down with the loss of the pilot. The Argentine Air Force conceded that this time the incident was triggered by the pilot's navigation error. The Skyguard radars were targeted by the RAF during Operation Black Buck on 31 May and 3 June. One Skyguard radar was destroyed by shrapnel from a Shrike missile strike and four operators died as a result. Another Harrier (XW919) was presumably hit by 35 mm splinters over Sapper Hill on 12 June and sustained heavy damage. The aircraft was later declared out of service. There was a further direct fire mission conducted against British troops on Wireless Ridge, just hours before the Argentinian surrender. After being disabled by their operators the guns were captured by British forces. Fifteen guns and five Skyguard units were captured and shipped back to Britain in "Operation Skyguard". Four of the Skyguard sets were in good enough condition to be refurbished by BMARC in Britain with the fifth being damaged by its operators prior to capture so severely that refurbishment was not economically viable. Twelve guns and four Skyguard radars were put into British service operated by a reserve wing of the RAF Regiment 1339 wing Royal Auxiliary Air Force, comprising 2729 Squadron and 2890 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment, based at RAF Waddington with an additional two new Skyguard units being procured from the Manufacturer. The RAuxAF Regiment used these guns and radar for about 10 years but defence cuts, coupled with the rising cost of ammunition and replacement gun barrels, forced the withdrawal from service of the very popular and reliable system. One of the guns is on display at the RAF Regiment Heritage Centre at RAF Honington, and the Skyguard radar system is still in use by the RAF to monitor military low flying in the UK. 12 October 2007: Nine South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers were killed and 14 injured by the system during a training exercise at the SANDF Battle School at Lohatla in the Northern Cape province. A line of eight cannons were engaging a tank hulk in manual ground fire with the guns at low elevation and the maximum traverse of the barrels secured by safety poles and tethers. The rightmost gun jammed while firing and had to be repaired by technicians. Shortly after the gun was cleared to fire again, the gun malfunctioned, entered automatic mode, broke through the traversal restriction safety mechanisms and began firing, striking the other guns along the firing line. Initial reports suggested that the malfunction was caused when the gun underwent an unexplained hang fire of the explosive 35mm ammunition in the magazines, causing the turret to swing uncontrolled through 360 degrees, firing wildly until it exhausted its remaining ammunition. A statement issued by the South African Defense Minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, however, stated that the gun had inexplicably traversed 90 degrees to the left, breaking through the safety mechanisms, and fired only a 1/8 second long burst, striking all of the soldiers located on the right hand side of their guns. The accident report published by the SANDF in January 2008 blamed "undetected mechanical failure—which the manufacturers of an anti aircraft gun allegedly kept secret". The report says the gun malfunctioned because a matchstick sized spring pin sheared. Other sources blamed poor training and safety procedures in the SANDF.