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United Kingdom MBDA
Sky Sabre
British Army ground-based air-defense system that replaced the Rapier missile, combining the Giraffe AMB radar with CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) interceptors to defend against aircraft, drones and precision munitions. It has been deployed operationally to protect UK airspace, including around London.
In service since 2021 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
25
km range
10,000
m altitude
24
targets
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2021. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Sky Sabre can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 25 km |
|---|---|
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 10,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 24 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | CAMM vertical-launch interceptor missiles |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 4 |
|---|
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Saab Giraffe AMB 3D surveillance radar |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | command and control post, electro-optical tracker |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the MBDA Sky Sabre? +
The MBDA Sky Sabre has a maximum engagement range of 25 km.
How many crew does the MBDA Sky Sabre require? +
The MBDA Sky Sabre requires a crew of 4.
What is the main armament of the MBDA Sky Sabre? +
The MBDA Sky Sabre's primary weapon is the CAMM vertical-launch interceptor missiles.
What is the MBDA Sky Sabre used for? +
The MBDA Sky Sabre is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the MBDA Sky Sabre? +
The MBDA Sky Sabre is operated by 1 countries.
