Air Defense
Sky Sabre (CAMM)
Sky Sabre is the British Army’s ground-based air defence system built around MBDA’s CAMM missile, declared in service in 2021. It replaced Rapier, and the naval version, Sea Ceptor, equips Royal Navy frigates.
United Kingdom|MBDA UKWhat Is the Sky Sabre? Overview, History and Development
CAMM design began in the late 2000s, with a first guided firing in 2010. The missile is 3.2 m long, 166 mm in diameter and about 99 kg, with an active radar seeker, a two-way datalink and a cold-launch system. Range is quoted at 25 km, with CAMM-ER at 45 km or more. Sky Sabre combines launchers on Rheinmetall MAN HX 8×8 trucks with 12 missiles, a Saab Giraffe 1X radar and a Leonardo/MBDA command system.
Sea Ceptor entered Royal Navy service in 2018 on Type 23 and Type 26 frigates, and Sky Sabre was declared in service in 2021. It was deployed to defend the Falkland Islands, confirmed by the UK MoD. Operators of CAMM or Sea Ceptor include the UK, New Zealand and Chile, with Brazil building ships, and Poland ordered CAMM-ER for its Narew programme in 2023. Italy has also adopted CAMM-ER, and CAMM-MR of about 100 km is under study.
Sky Sabre Specifications: Range, Altitude, Missiles and Radar
Sky Sabre Variants and Versions Compared
CAMM (Sky Sabre) is the British Army version with 12 missiles on an HX 8×8 launcher and a Saab Giraffe 1X radar.
Sea Ceptor is the Royal Navy version using the same CAMM missile in vertical launch cells on frigates.
CAMM-ER and CAMM-MR are the extended-range and medium-range developments, with CAMM-ER at about 45 km or more.
Which Countries Use the Sky Sabre? Operators and Users
United Kingdom
New Zealand
ChileSky Sabre FAQ: Price, Range, Operators and Most Asked Questions
What is the range of Sky Sabre?
Sky Sabre has a range of 25 km with the standard CAMM missile, and CAMM-ER reaches 45 km or more. MBDA hedges the exact figures.
How much does Sky Sabre cost?
Sky Sabre has no publicly confirmed unit price. A UK programme total of around 1.5-2 billion pounds for the land and sea variants has been cited, which is hedged.
Which countries use CAMM and Sky Sabre?
The CAMM family is used by the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Chile, with Brazil building ships to carry it. Poland ordered CAMM-ER in 2023, and Italy has adopted CAMM-ER, with delivery dates hedged.
Sky Sabre vs Patriot: which is better?
Sky Sabre has a shorter range than Patriot but is more compact and better suited to short- to medium-range defence of forces. Sky Sabre reaches 25 km against longer ranges for Patriot.
What replaced the Rapier in the British Army?
Sky Sabre replaced the Rapier in the British Army, and was declared in service in 2021. The CAMM missile is the core of the system.
Does Türkiye use Sky Sabre?
No, Türkiye has no Sky Sabre contract. It operates Turkish systems such as HİSAR-A+ and HİSAR-O in the same class.