Source: MSN
A Cambridge start-up will send high-tech interceptor missiles designed to counter Iranian suicide drones to the British Armed Forces and allies in the Gulf.
The Ministry of Defence said it was preparing to sign a multi-million-pound contract with Cambridge Aerospace, founded less than two years ago, and which has developed an anti-drone technology called “Skyhammer”.
The lightweight, low-cost interceptors are intended to counter cheap, high-volume drones that have been deployed by Iran against American forces, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. The technology has been compared to Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defence system.
Mass-produced suicide drones and lightweight quadcopters have become a lethal threat on the front line in Ukraine, terrorising troops and civilians. In the Middle East, Iran’s mass deployments of Shahed drones have been used to threaten cities such as Dubai and infrastructure across the Gulf.
The high-tech, costly missile interceptors previously deployed by Western militaries risk being overwhelmed by these new, basic weapons.
John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said the UK was prepared to accelerate spending to support its allies in the Gulf with new technology and that Skyhammer interceptors would be ready to deploy within weeks.
Mr Healey said: “Our government backing for Cambridge Aerospace is a prime case of a veteran-founded UK defence start-up scaling at pace to deliver new interceptor missiles within weeks for our Armed Forces and Gulf partners and good jobs and security here in the UK.”
The MoD said the plans were built on a meeting last month between Gulf ambassadors, including diplomats from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, and British defence industry experts.
Cambridge Aerospace’s drones have an effective range of about 18 miles and can accelerate to speeds of more than 400 miles per hour.
The start-up has been developing its technology in Cambridge and preparing to mass-produce it at a factory in Norfolk. The deal to buy missile interceptors from Cambridge Aerospace will be worth millions of pounds, and the first deliveries are expected by May.
It comes even as the Ministry of Defence delays releasing crucial spending plans that are intended to rearm Britain. The defence industry has criticised Labour over the more than six-month delay to the Defence Investment Plan amid warnings of a £28bn shortfall in Britain’s military budget.
The Government has said defence spending will hit its highest level since the end of the Cold War, at 2.6pc of GDP from 2027.
Cambridge Aerospace last year raised more than $130m (£97m) from investors from the UK, Silicon Valley, and Ukraine. Its investors included Spark Capital, Lakestar, Lux, Accel, and D3, a Ukrainian fund reportedly backed by Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief.
Steven Barratt, the chief executive of Cambridge Aerospace, said: “With aerial threats to the UK and our allies increasing by the day, it is critical that we can defend ourselves effectively. Skyhammer was designed to do exactly that – bring affordable mass to protect our skies.”
