MBDA press release
Sea Ceptor is the world’s most modern naval air defence system of its class. Utilising the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), it offers both world-leading close-in air defence and local-area air defence. The system will allow the Type 31 to protect simultaneously both itself and vessels near it from attack from current and future threats, including high-speed manoeuvring missiles, attack aircraft and fast inshore attack craft.
“We are very pleased to mark this latest success for the CAMM family. Sea Ceptor was designed to change the game in naval air defence and, with Type 31 the latest in a growing list of ship classes that Sea Ceptor has been chosen to protect, it is rapidly delivering on this promise.”
Eric Beranger, CEO of MBDA
The new contract includes integration of Sea Ceptor with the Type 31’s systems, along with delivery and installation of ship hardware for the Type 31 programme. Designed and made in the UK, the contract forms part of the Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA), a partnership initiated in 2010 between the UK MoD and MBDA on sovereign complex weapons design and production. The PMA delivers world-beating military equipment for the UK Armed Forces and has secured over 4,000 jobs at MBDA UK while generating savings worth over £1.2 billion.
Sea Ceptor is currently in service on the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates, and will also protect the new Type 26 frigates. The UK Ministry of Defence maintains a common stockpile of CAMM missiles for both the Royal Navy and British Army. The CAMM missile family has been selected by a growing list of other nations for both naval and land based air defence.
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Naval News comments:
This announcement follows two other recent contract awards for the CAMM: The first one in Canada for the CSC program and the other one for an undisclose customer, for the extended range version known as CAMM-ER / Albatros NG.
According to MBDA, Sea Ceptor is the next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon system. The Weapon System has the capability to intercept and thereby neutralise the full range of current and future threats including combat aircraft and the new generation of supersonic anti-ship missiles. Capable of multiple channels of fire, the system will also counter saturation attacks. It has a range of 25 Km, a speed of Mach 3 and features an active RF seeker. Also known as Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (Maritime) – CAMM(M), this new missiles has already been fielded aboard the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and the Royal New Zealand Navy ANZAC-class frigates. Sea Ceptor will also be fitted aboard the future Type 26 frigates.
The Type 31 / Arrowhead 140 is based on the proven Iver Huitfeldt-class of frigate of the Royal Danish Navy, designed by OMT, and adapted to Royal Navy requirement by Babcock and BMT. Thales will supply the combat management system of the Type 31. The frigates will be assembled at Babcock’s Rosyth facility, and involve supply chains throughout the UK, in line with the UK’s shipbuilding strategy. First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin last week announced the names of the Type 31 / Inspiration-class frigates. The new class will replace five general-purpose Type 23 frigates which have served the Royal Navy since the early 1990s. The first steel is due to be cut on the ships this summer and all five are due to be in service by 2028, operating alongside Type 26 or City-class frigates which will be dedicated submarine hunters and will replace the equivalent specialist Type 23s.
