On Friday, August 22, 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) agency announced it had signed a 118 million GBP contract with the European consortium MBDA for six additional launchers of the Sky Sabre mobile air and missile defense system, under the British Army’s Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) program.
Photo: British Army
The three-year contract provides for the delivery of six MRAD (Medium Range Air Defence) launchers for CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) Land Ceptor missiles, along with support and auxiliary equipment, including 12 ammunition vehicles, eight transport vehicles, and eight threat evaluation and weapon assignment systems. In addition, the contract covers spare parts for the missiles and the wider Sky Sabre system.
Peter Mackay, Head of Lethality and Protect-1 Air and Missile Defence, said:
“Sky Sabre is a key capability for the British Army with its ability to intercept multiple targets simultaneously. The Land Ceptor launcher element of this system delivers proven high accuracy and speed, and this announcement marks a significant increase in the UK Armed Forces’ ability to defend our nation and allies.”
The system was recently tested during the Formidable Shield exercise, conducted by NATO at the QinetiQ range in the Outer Hebrides. This was the first operational test of the system in the United Kingdom, demonstrating its ability to operate seamlessly within NATO’s integrated air and missile defense network. The system has also been deployed to Poland under Operation Stifftail, strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and demonstrating the United Kingdom’s commitment to its NATO allies.
Lieutenant Colonel James Boutle, Commanding Officer of the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, said:
“Sky Sabre represents a step change in the UK’s ground-based air defence capability. As the Army’s most advanced air defence system, it provides a powerful shield against modern airborne threats, from fast jets to precision-guided weapons and drones. For 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, operating Sky Sabre is both a privilege and a responsibility – ensuring we are trained and ready to strengthen the UK’s contribution to NATO when called upon. As part of this, we work hand-in-hand with industry partners such as MBDA here in the UK to continuously optimise the system to ensure it remains on the cutting edge – a collaboration that guarantees we stay ahead of adversary technology.”
The contract with MBDA is also expected to secure up to 140 jobs across the United Kingdom, including at the MBDA UK manufacturing facility in Bolton, Lancashire. This forms part of broader efforts to use defense as a driver of economic growth, in line with the government’s Defence Command Paper. The Bolton facility, which already provides 1,300 jobs, recently announced an expansion that will create 700 new positions and further contribute to the region’s economic development.
Chris Allam, Managing Director of MBDA UK, said:
“We welcome this contract as it builds on our strategic partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence. Land Ceptor is an excellent example of the innovative capability that this partnership has produced and delivered to the British Army. Building these weapon systems has been a key part of our growth at our Bolton site, and this contract helps us to sustain this expansion going forward. Manufacturing more launchers will provide more jobs and sustain many vital partners in our supply chain. Just as importantly, it will give the Army the decisive military capability and increased scale needed in air defence.”
A single Sky Sabre system consists of a launcher and two support vehicles housing a command post (FCC) and the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Modular Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense System (MIC4AD), as well as a Saab Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam (AMB) medium-range 3D surveillance radar. The system’s effector is the MBDA CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) short-range surface-to-air missile. It can engage aerodynamic targets at distances from 1 km to over 25 km and at altitudes above 10 km.
Sky Sabre, procured under the FLAADS program, was initially assigned to the 32nd (Minden) Battery of the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, part of the 7th Air Defence Group, based at Baker Barracks on Thorney Island on the south coast of the United Kingdom. Conversion began on January 15, 2021, and was completed on December 6 of the same year. The new system replaced the Rapier Field Standard C (FSC) systems, with an 8 km range and command-to-line-of-sight guidance, which had recently entered their fifth decade of service in the British Army.
The UK is strengthening its air defences with a £118 million investment in six new Land Ceptor missile systems. The systems will form part of Sky Sabre, a state-of-the-art defence system capable of intercepting missiles, aircraft and drones.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/N7xaTxQxYI pic.twitter.com/l8RhXDzBLb
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 22, 2025
We’ve awarded a £118M contract to @MBDAGroup for six Land Ceptor missile launchers, strengthening the UK’s national security while supporting up to 140 jobs.
The CAMM-firing launchers are a key component of the Sky Sabre air defence system.https://t.co/GRh3fwfyZ8 pic.twitter.com/ckqQvr0dPl
— Defence Equipment & Support (@DefenceES) August 23, 2025