On Wednesday, 22 April 2026, Tiberius Aerospace, a UK- and US-based newcomer to the defense sector, announced that its ramjet-assisted 155 mm Sceptre artillery round (TRBM 155HG) had been fired for the first time from a test howitzer at a US range in New Mexico. The munition is being developed under a British contract (Tiberius Aerospace secures UK MoD contract to develop Sceptre Ramjet 155mm munition).
Photos: Tiberius Aerospace
Tiberius Aerospace is a modern defense technology company established to equip the United Kingdom, the United States, and their global allies with next-generation weapons systems and AI-enabled solutions.
The company has now achieved a breakthrough in liquid-fueled artillery ammunition, demonstrated during recent test firings of the Sceptre system in New Mexico. The development marks a fundamental shift in the capabilities of artillery systems on the modern battlefield.
Sceptre is a ballistic munition – meaning it follows a ballistic trajectory – fitted with a 5.2 kg warhead, equivalent to 3,150 cubic centimeters of TNT. It is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5 and a maximum altitude of 19,812 m, or 65,000 ft, placing it beyond the reach of jamming systems. This is made possible by a ramjet engine with a subsonic combustion chamber, powered by diesel, JP-4, or JP-8 fuel. The fuel capacity is up to 7 liters, equivalent to 5.7–5.9 kg.
The munition has a caliber of 155 mm and a length of 155 cm. Its empty weight is 36.8 kg, while its maximum weight, including the warhead and fuel load, is 47.5 kg.
It is expected to offer an effective engagement range of 150 km, with a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 3.5 m. It is compliant with NATO standards and fully compatible with artillery platforms used by Allied armed forces. The munition’s service life is expected to exceed 20 years, limited by battery life, and its operating temperature range is from -35°C to +60°C. It is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance. Optionally, it can be fitted with a tungsten penetrator for engaging armored targets.
Its modular, open architecture allows for future software and hardware upgrades, while its advanced guidance system provides a simple user interface for target selection and supports an open API for integration with third-party fire-control platforms. In flight, the onboard GPS system and inertial measurement unit synchronize and use advanced machine-learning algorithms — artificial intelligence — to correct errors to the required confidence level, enabling operation in environments where the adversary is conducting electronic warfare or where GPS signals are unavailable. If required, multiple rounds can communicate with one another in flight to further improve targeting.
A key milestone in the trials was the successful ignition of the liquid-fueled ramjet after exposure to launch forces of around 18,000 g, as well as the validation of stable flight dynamics, controlled spin, and the effective activation of in-flight stabilization systems. Taken together, these results show that the technology is not only theoretically feasible, but can also operate reliably under operationally relevant conditions.
In practical terms, the successful firing demonstrates that it is now possible to combine the long range and speed typically associated with missile systems with the significant cost advantages, flexibility, and deployability of traditional artillery. This creates a new category of capability between conventional artillery and advanced missile systems, addressing a long-standing gap in military capabilities.
While missile systems provide range and accuracy, they remain expensive and limited in availability. Conventional artillery, by contrast, is scalable and cost-effective, but has limited range and capability. Sceptre bridges this gap by offering missile-like performance while retaining the production advantages and flexibility of artillery systems.
Supported by Tiberius Aerospace’s GRAIL software platform – Generative Real-Time Artificial Intelligence for Lethality – available through the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, Sceptre has the potential to significantly increase the volume of precision fires available to allied forces, reduce dependence on costly missile inventories, and enable faster, more scalable production at a time when industrial capacity is under strain.
Crucially, the system has been designed to support licensed domestic production, allowing allied nations to manufacture Sceptre within their own industrial bases. This strengthens sovereign capabilities, shortens supply chains, and accelerates fielding timelines. It also supports a shift toward more resilient, sovereign, and distributed production models across allied defense ecosystems.
Chad Steelberg, founder and CEO of Tiberius Aerospace, said the trials represented a major global breakthrough. He emphasized that the tests had validated not only the technology itself, but also a faster, more scalable, and more cost-effective approach to delivering new military capabilities. With the company’s design and engineering methods now successfully proven, he said the next step would be to move to much larger test ranges for the next phase of testing, validation, and certification. Steelberg added that although Sceptre is an ambitious and complex program, the successful US test results show that the project is advancing rapidly in the right direction.
Based on a press release
See also:
- Tiberius Aerospace Welcomes Rob Murray to Advisory Board
- Tiberius Aerospace’s GRAIL Assessed “Awardable” for Department of War Work in the CDAO’s Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace
- Tiberius Aerospace partners with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Defence Technology Secretariat
- Newly revealed defense company Tiberius Aerospace launches Sceptre a revolutionary new Ramjet 155mm munition