Not a pretty picture; the UK’s air defence to improve with Sky Sabre order

The UK has announced a new order for Sky Sabre air defence systems, bolstering the country’s air defence capabilities for both its national airspace and deployed operations.

“We’ve stood for years at the western edge of Europe feeling as though the rest of the continent has stood between us and the enemy…Ukraine has made us all sit up, and that drove some of the work we were doing in the warfare center to get after how we would solve a problem like that if a similar scenario was pitted against the UK.” This quote is from Air Commodore Blythe Crawford, the former Commandant of the UK’s Air and Space Warfare Centre during RUSI’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) conference earlier this year. 

He explained that they had loaded the missile attack that Russia launched on Ukraine on the first night of its invasion into the Gladiator Simulator at the Air and Space Warfare Centre, and watched how it would have played out against the UK. He went on to say that the outcome was ‘not a pretty picture’—an unsurprising conclusion for those familiar with the UK’s air defence capabilities. Russia’s initial invasion launched hundreds of cruise and ballistic missiles at over 70 different sites across Ukraine in a campaign that included the relatively successful suppression of Ukrainian air defences.

At the time, the UK’s ground-based air defence capabilities were limited. They primarily consisted of six Type 45 air defence destroyers, a fleet of 137 Typhoons, and the Sky Sabre medium-range air defence system. There is some confusion over the number of launchers the UK had at that time; sources referred to the UK having seven Sky Sabre systems, which would normally imply seven complete sets of radars, command vehicles, and Land Ceptor launchers.

However, some sources indicate that the UK has ordered only 12 launchers, each capable of carrying eight missiles. If correct, 12 launchers would enable the UK to deploy four fire groups, each with three launchers, according to the design of the Polish system, which is based on the same Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM). 

Alternatively, MoD messaging on the subject frequently claims that Sky Sabre can guide 24 missiles simultaneously, which would account for a full missile complement from three launchers, indicating that the UK may have three launchers per battery and four batteries.  The British Army asserts that a single Land Ceptor launcher, with its Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM), can engage eight targets simultaneously at a range of up to 25 km.

Pictured are 16th Regiment, The Royal Regiment of Artillery soldiers demonstrating the Sky Sabre Air defence missile system. Left to right, Radar Targeting System Vehicle, Command and Control Vehicle and the Missile Launcher Vehicle housing the CAMM. Credit: Sergeant Tom Evans, RLC/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2021. 

Either way, this collective mix meant that the UK would find it difficult to adequately defend against the strike that Russia delivered on the first night of the invasion, let alone some of the more recent massed strikes using Shaheds and missiles. 

This is all important because on August 22 the British MoD, DE&S, and MBDA announced that the UK had placed a £118 million order for six Land Ceptor launchers. “The three-year contract will deliver not only the six MRAD (Medium Range Air Defence) Land Ceptor launchers but also a suite of supporting equipment, including 12 fire unit support vehicles for ammunition, eight vehicles for baggage, and eight threat evaluation and weapon assignment systems,” DE&S, the MoD’s procurement arm, states in its press release. 

The six additional Land Ceptor launchers would enable the British Army to stand up two additional air defence batteries, which would provide a more significant increase than it might otherwise seem. This is because one Sky Sabre system is permanently deployed to the Falklands and one retained for training. Until recently, another system was deployed to Poland, notionally leaving just one for the defence of the UK’s skies. Two additional batteries would therefore significantly extend the airspace that the UK could defend from the ground. 

The UK also was finally able to announce that its Sky Sabre systems had taken part in a recent air defence exercise on British soil for the first time. Soldiers from 16 Regiment the Royal Artillery engaged target drones from QinetiQ and worked with other assets in the British Armed forces. As part of a wider effort, the UK is exploring the benefits to be gained from connecting all of its air defence assets into a single digital kill web. 

Calibre comment

It is encouraging to see the UK investing in its ground-based air defence under a project that includes additional short-range air defence systems as well. Northrop-Grumman also partnered with Marshall Land Systems in June, stating at the time that, “Northrop Grumman and Marshall Land Systems intend to work together in support of the U.K.’s Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) program for medium- and short-range air defense. Northrop Grumman’s leadership in air and missile defense command-and-control systems will be integrated with Marshall Land Systems versatile containerized storage and shelter solutions.” This indicates that the American company could be looking to offer its Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) to the UK. 

“The programme is now working towards an Initial Operating Capability of Medium Range Air Defence for warfighting by July 2026. This includes two Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Centres, and two enhanced Wireless Enabled Network sets,” Secretary of State, Maria Eagle, said in an April statement to the UK’s Parliament. This may indicate that further procurements for medium-range air defence are on the horizon. However, it is worth noting that the UK lacks specific protection against ballistic missiles. Its Type 45s, which are armed with the Aster 30 missiles have successfully engaged an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Red Sea, and upgrades will introduce the Aster 30 Block 1 missiles, which are designed for ballistic missile interceptions. This is also an important element to note because Russia typically mixes ballistic missiles with cruise missiles and Shaheds as the ballistic missiles are more challenging to intercept and will often make it through Ukraine’s air defences. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on August 22, credit for the lead image is Corporal Adam J Wakefield, RLC/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2023. It shows a Sky Sabre on display at an event run for members of the intelligence and security committee and the House of Commons defence committee.