QinetiQ Supports 1st Live Firing of Sky Sabre on UK Soil

QinetiQ’s trials expertise and safety assurance work supported the first live firing on UK soil of the British Army’s Sky Sabre ground-based air defence capability.

Sky Sabre successfully tracked, targeted and engaged QinetiQ’s Banshee Jet 80s and a Banshee Whirlwind aerial target as part of Formidable Shield 2025 (FS25), Europe’s largest Integrated Air and Missile Defence mission rehearsal.

FS25 involved 11 allied nations across land, sea and air domains to train against a range of representative threats, from drone swarms, to ballistic and supersonic missiles. QinetiQ operated the ranges throughout the two weeks of the exercise at MOD Hebrides, ensuring the safety of 1.1m km2 – a battlefield four times the size of the United Kingdom. This was necessary, to ensure the safe inclusion of Sky Sabre.

Simon Galt, Managing Director Air, QinetiQ, said: "Our expert staff played a vital role in supporting the live firing of Sky Sabre, from ensuring the safety of the exercise and all those involved, planning the scenarios and operating the ranges at MOD Hebrides throughout."

"Formidable Shield has been running for 10 years now and every year gets bigger and better. It’s testament to the reputation of the exercise and the unique facilities, that the British Army chose to bring Sky Sabre to the Hebrides for its first UK live firing."

The MOD announced today that the UK is buying six new Land Ceptor air defence missile systems - which form part of Sky Sabre - to bolster national security and defence.