No elements have been removed from the approved Ground Based Air Defence requirement, and a fall in the programme’s reported whole-life cost reflects a change in the reporting basis, according to an answer given in Parliament.
James MacCleary, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, asked which elements had been removed, deferred or made dependent on future funding after the reduction shown in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority’s Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26.
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, replied:
“The reduction in the reported Whole life Cost reflects a change to the reporting basis rather than a reduction in the approved Ground Based Air Defence requirement. The earlier figure included estimated funding beyond the Ministry of Defence’s confirmed rolling 10-year planning profile, whereas the later figure did not. No elements have been removed from the approved requirement.”
The Defence Investment Plan commits more than £350 million to doubling the Army’s Sky Sabre force through the Land Ground Based Air Defence programme, the UK Defence Journal reported in July. Additional Surface-to-Air Missile Operating Centres are contracted for delivery at the end of 2026 and expected to enter service in 2027, and additional Land Ceptor launchers and support vehicles are contracted for delivery in 2027.
Sky Sabre replaced Rapier from 2021 and has deployed to Poland and the Falkland Islands. Pollard said in July that further enhancements beyond the doubling are being considered, and that he could not comment further while commercial negotiations continue.
Is the UK looking at any Sky Sabre system multipliers like purchasing additional cannister battery only vehicles and utilising other non-CAMM family missiles?
Any CAMM-ER or MR in the future mix?
Would they look at having a Navy-Land Regiment, a RAF Regiment equivalent, to protect ports, bases, communications facilities etc?
CAMM ER was mentioned years ago, no idea if it’s progressed beyond MoD talk.
A Navy Land Regiment? Who staffs that, RN and Army? That means increasing personnel numbers, which costs lots of money, so unlikely.
One of the red flags I keep highlighting with all this reporting of new kit is who exactly operates it with existing units in role.
You might remember a few years ago the now ex CDS talking of “Battalions of attack Drones” or something like that. Where are these Battalions? Never mind that, actually, the RA have Regiments, not Battalions, the reality is that its usually a Troop of an existing Deep Fires Regiment tasked. The reality beyond the government announcements needs spotlighting.
In the article above, the doubling of existing Sky Sabre gets a mention again. This was widely grandstanded when it was first announced, and sounds great. And it is a positive. That there were hardly any assets to start with and the doubling still leaves 16RA bereft of a full Regiments worth of assets for its 4 Batteries isn’t mentioned, you’re meant to ignore that bit.
The commitment to “fully equip every Battery in 16RA with it’s full complement of SAMOC, Giraffe, and launchers, with spares for training, maintenance and a reserve” would be the hope, and fat chance the likes of Pollard will give that sort of iron clad commitment.