If and when the machine overlords decide to take over the planet, the Skyshield will likely be their air defense weapon of choice. The Skyshield, a modular and potentially mobile air defense system, has been developed by Switzerland’s Oerlikon Contraves Air Defense, to protect critical assets. The SHORAD system, or SHOrt Range Air Defense system is a combination of sensor nodes and weapons emplacements.

For sensors, the system uses a combination of radar, laser, and visual sensors to track incoming targets. Various sensor units are fully networked capable together and with the weapons, platforms to create a solid defensive wall for incoming aerial threats including drones, planes, and even potentially missiles.

Weapons include an utterly mesmerizing 35mm automatic flak cannon, capable of rapidly spewing rounds all electronically detonated creating a wall of flak that would give even World War 2 bomber crews the willies. When combined together with missiles, the weapons platforms are an attacker’s worst defensive nightmare. The 35mm cannons are rated for 1,000 rounds per minute.

The Oerlikon Skyshield was recently tested against a drone to devastating results. The video shows the drone being detected, tracked, and ultimately engaged. Just two weapon’s short bursts bring the drone crashing down.

Just the “base” system used by the German army includes six fully automated turrets. That’s a whole lot of flak…