Britain has started the induction of a new air defense system named Sky Sabre.
The first set is being inducted into the service of the 16 Regiment Royal Artillery.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the Sabre is unparalleled in “speed, accuracy,
performance and target acquisition”.
The Sky Sabre is so precise that it will be able to hit a tennis ball-sized object
traveling at the speed of sound.
In a press release, UK 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 defense system
is a clear demonstration of our warfighting capabilities to those who wish to do us harm.”
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how capable is Britain's new Sky Sabre air defense system?
Let's get into the details.
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The Sky Sabre is a land-based version of the CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile)
series of surface-to-air missiles developed by MBDA UK for the British armed forces.
It is a point defense and small area defense missile that can defend against saturation
strikes from supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, fighter jets, and other high-performance targets.
It accomplishes this through numerous fire channels that provide 360-degree simultaneous
coverage and great maneuverability. Sky Sabre has a “high rate of fire against numerous
simultaneous targets,” according to MBDA, with capabilities comparable to the Aster 15 missile.
Sky Sabre leverages technology already in use on Royal Navy warships.
The system will be replacing the aging Rapiers.
Rapier, a low-level air defense system, was first deployed by the British Army in the
early 1970s. It has since seen action in the Falklands campaign, Operation Desert Storm,
and, most recently, the defense of London airspace during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Since its inception, it has been upgraded several times.
Sky Sabre has 3 main components
1. The system has a Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam 3D medium-range surveillance radar
that can rotate 360 degrees on an extending mast
and is able to scan out to 120 km or around 75 miles for potential threats.
2. Once detected, threats are processed using the Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Center (SAMOC).
It is an advanced computer system linking up the radar and missiles sending them to their targets.
It can control the flight of 24 missiles simultaneously whilst in flight, guiding them to
intercept 24 separate targets. This part of the system is supplied by Israel’s Rafael company.
3. The Sky Sabre is armed with CAMM which is also known as the Land Ceptor.
These are much larger when compared to Rapier and are double the weight at 99 kg or 215 lb each. The
missile has three times the range of Rapier- MBDA claims a range of more than 24 km or 15 miles.
These new missiles can reach speeds of Mach 3.
Fitted with an active-radar seeker, the CAMM is derived from the infrared-guided
Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air-Missile (ASRAAM) that’s in service on Royal Air Force fighters.
The ASRAAM’s rocket motor, warhead, and proximity fuse are all reused in the CAMM.
Sky Sabre has been designed thoughtfully and certain features clearly demonstrates this:
1. In the system, 8 missiles are mounted on the launcher,
which fires in a unique multi-directional manner that significantly reduces its signature making
it less of a target for adversaries. 2. The launcher also re-arms in less
than half the time of Rapier, allowing more missiles to be fired in rapid succession.
3. The Sky Sabre is a distributed system that enhances its survivability.The three
key components that are expected to operate together up to 15 km or
around 9.5 miles apart in the battle-space. 4. The system has ‘Link 16’ compatibility,
a tactical data link allowing Sky Sabre to share its information with Royal Navy vessels,
Royal Air Force systems and its allies providing full integration
across UK Armed Forces and joint NATO operations.
Induction of the Sky Sabre is a major upgrade over the older system,
essentially extending air defense cover beyond the short-range domain of Rapier.
This will help bridge the gap with longer-range systems.
The system is ideal for protecting high value military and civilian sites in the U.K
and is capable enough to defend against large scale incoming saturation attacks.
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.
It gives us a capability we have not had before; this new missile system with its new launcher and
world-class radar will absolutely put us at the forefront of ground-based air defense.”
The regiment, which is part of the 7th Air Defence Group,
based at Baker Barracks on Thorney Island, West Sussex, will undergo training to complete the
transition from the Rapier, which will gradually be phased out of service.
However, further procurements will be configured to operate in all parts of the globe.