British Army 16 Regiment Royal Artillery is now accepting into service the first tranche of Sky Sabre and further procurements will be configured to operate in all parts of the globe. Sky Sabre will be able to hit a tennis ball-sized object travelling at the speed of sound. Sky Sabre has three key components expected to operate up to 15km apart in the battlespace consists of Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), a SAAB Giraffe Agile Multi Beam 3D medium-range surveillance radar, a Rafael command system, all mounted on MAN trucks. For international customers, MBDA markets the ‘Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions (EMADS).
The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) is a family of surface-to-air missiles developed by MBDA UK for the United Kingdom. CAMM shares some common features and components with the ASRAAM air-to-air missile, but with updated electronics and an active radar homing seeker. They can reach speeds of 2,300mph eliminating fighter aircraft, drones and even laser-guided smart bombs. Eight missiles are mounted on the launcher, which fire in a unique multi-directional manner that significantly reduces its signature making it less of a target for adversaries.
CAMM has a minimum operational range of less than 1 km and a maximum range greater than 25 km, although that trials have a shown a capability of up to 60 km. These ranges are significantly greater than the 1–10 km range of Sea Wolf and other systems CAMM will replace. CAMM weighs 99 kilograms (218 lb), is 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) in length, 166 millimetres (6.5 in) diameter and reaches generous supersonic speeds of Mach 3 (or 1,020 meters per second). A Soft Vertical Launch (SVL) system that offers 360° degree coverage. CAMM comes in its own launch canisters, or alternately can be quad-packed into existing vertical launching systems.
British Army 16 Regiment Royal MBDA Sky Sabre Air Defence Missile System
As Sea Ceptor, CAMM is replacing the Sea Wolf missile on Type 23 frigates of the Royal Navy since 2018, and, as of 2021, under the name Land Ceptor is replacing the Rapier missile in British Army service. The system is also contributing to the updating of MBDA’s ASRAAM in service with the Royal Air Force. The launcher also re-arms in less than half the time of Rapier. As Sea Ceptor, CAMM is replacing the Sea Wolf missile on Type 23 frigates of the Royal Navy since 2018, and, as of 2021, under the name Land Ceptor is replacing the Rapier missile in British Army service. The system is also contributing to the updating of MBDA’s ASRAAM in service with the Royal Air Force.
Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin said:“Sky Sabre’s spearheading technology has significantly upgraded the protection of our forces from threats from the air. This cutting-edge of defence system is a clear demonstration of our warfighting capabilities to those who wish to do us harm.”
Commanding Officer of 16 Regiment Royal Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Lane, said: “We will be able to compete with our peers and take on some of the toughest adversaries.”
16 Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the British Army. It currently serves in the air defence role, and is equipped with the Rapier FSC Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD) missile system and the Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) system. One of its Rapier Batteries is always deployed to the Falkland Islands. It also provides a Land Environment Air Picture Provision capability to land formation HQs which provides a local Recognised Air Picture. As of 2021, the Sky Sabre air defence missile system had started to replace Rapier.
