Cambridge Aerospace to develop low-cost interceptor systems to close gaps in UK air and missile defence
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As reported by The Telegraph on September 8, 2025, a British defence start-up, Cambridge Aerospace, has emerged with a programme aimed at supplying the UK with low-cost interceptor systems, drawing parallels with Israel’s Iron Dome. Founded in 2024, the company has raised more than $130 million, including a $100 million Series A round, from venture investors such as Spark Capital, Lakestar, Lux, Accel and Ukraine’s D3 fund, which counts Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief executive, among its principal backers.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Skyhammer interceptor, which has been under testing since early 2025, is described as having a range of up to 30 km and a speed of approximately 700 km/h, while the Starhammer is defined as a high-speed subsonic interceptor with a range of up to 10 km and is intended to engage faster aerial threats. (Picture source: Cambridge Aerospace)
The company operated in “stealth” mode until its debut at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London, where it unveiled its Skyhammer and Starhammer interceptor systems. Former UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has been appointed chairman, an appointment cleared by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments with conditions. Cambridge Aerospace says its focus is on producing air defence solutions at scale to meet urgent demand identified in the UK Strategic Defence Review, which allocated up to £1 billion for integrated air and missile defence.
The Skyhammer interceptor, which has been under testing since early 2025, is described as having a range of up to 30 km and a speed of approximately 700 km/h, or Mach 0.7. Starhammer is defined as a high-speed subsonic interceptor with a range of up to 10 km and is intended to engage faster aerial threats. Both systems are launched from surface-based tubes, carry blast fragmentation warheads, and are fitted with a radar seeker developed by Cambridge Aerospace to provide all-weather capabilities. The firm notes that this radar-based approach differentiates the interceptors from lower-cost alternatives reliant on visual intercept guidance. Testing and development cycles have reportedly progressed from concept to flight trials in about six weeks, with weekly feature testing continuing as part of an iterative process. The company also announced its Nightstar solid rocket motor programme, which is intended to establish a sovereign UK supply chain, beginning with a facility under development in Norfolk.
Cambridge Aerospace states that its industrial goal is to begin with production volumes in the hundreds per month and expand to thousands monthly. The company’s engineering approach incorporates autonomous systems to keep design and manufacturing costs low, with unit costs targeted at around one to two percent of the price of traditional interceptors. The firm has said there is strong investor and government interest, with discussions reported to be underway with the UK Ministry of Defence and unnamed European defence departments. According to founder and chief executive Steven Barrett, formerly head of aerospace research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the business seeks to address a “desperate and urgent need” for scalable, affordable air defence in the UK and Europe. He has publicly argued that recent conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine, demonstrate the necessity of large numbers of low-cost interceptors to counter drone and cruise missile saturation attacks.
The investment context shows a shift in European and transatlantic funding priorities toward defence technologies. For years, many investors avoided the defence sector due to ethical concerns, but the conflict in Ukraine and growing awareness of threats to national infrastructure have changed attitudes. Eric Schmidt, who has invested in D3, has described drone warfare as a defining feature of future conflicts, predicting that it may reduce the relevance of tanks and artillery. D3 has been active in supporting Ukraine’s drone development and deployment. Cambridge Aerospace’s fundraising of more than $130 million reflects this broader capital movement, with venture funds increasingly turning toward defence as part of what some now describe as contributing to democratic resilience. Barrett himself has said that investing in defence has shifted in perception, from being avoided to being considered part of environmental, social and governance criteria under the theme of defending democracy.
The UK’s current air defence architecture relies on a multi-layered approach, but parliamentary reports and defence committee statements have warned of significant capability gaps. Britain does not operate a homeland ballistic missile defence system comparable to Israel’s Iron Dome, with the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers and their Sea Viper missiles providing the only ballistic missile defence-related capacity, albeit limited in homeland applications due to fleet size and radar coverage. The British Army fields Sky Sabre medium-range systems and Starstreak High Velocity Missiles, while the Royal Air Force maintains Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons at Lossiemouth and Coningsby. These are supplemented by the RAF’s Air Surveillance and Control System radar network and RAF Fylingdales’ ballistic missile early warning role, which also integrates with NATO’s missile defence network. The E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft is due to enter service by the end of 2025 after delays, replacing the retired E-3D Sentry fleet.
Internationally, the UK participates in NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence, which coordinates sensors, command and control, and interceptor systems across member states. Britain launched the DIAMOND initiative with allies in 2024 to improve integration, interoperability, and response speed. The UK has also signed a Letter of Intent to join the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative, which aims to procure layered, ground-based European air defence systems including Arrow 3, Patriot and IRIS-T. Although Britain has not committed to purchasing systems under ESSI, it has signalled interest in working with partners to complement its Sky Sabre and planned Land GBAD programmes. Additional research is being conducted through the Missile Defence Centre and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory into directed energy weapons, with the DragonFire laser system scheduled for installation on Type 45 destroyers starting in 2027. The UK also participates in AUKUS Pillar 2 projects focused on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technologies.
The Strategic Defence Review of June 2025 outlined £1 billion in investment for IAMD, recognising threats from drones, cruise missiles, and potential ballistic or hypersonic strikes. Parliamentary debates, committee reports, and expert commentary have labelled UK air defences as “negligible” or “inadequate” against massed missile attacks. Concerns include insufficient ground-based air defence units, inadequate early warning capacity, and a reduced combat air fleet due to cuts, leaving questions about resilience in an all-out war scenario. The review accepted 62 recommendations and endorsed a vision of a more integrated, digitally enabled defence posture with AI and autonomy incorporated into future force structures. It emphasised NATO cooperation, procurement of additional E-7 Wedgetail aircraft when affordable, development of next-generation maritime air dominance systems including Type 83 destroyers, and protection of critical national infrastructure. Analysts have noted that the credibility of any British “Iron Dome”-style solution will depend on the ability to translate prototypes like Skyhammer and Starhammer into reliable mass production, and to integrate them effectively into wider NATO defence frameworks.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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As reported by The Telegraph on September 8, 2025, a British defence start-up, Cambridge Aerospace, has emerged with a programme aimed at supplying the UK with low-cost interceptor systems, drawing parallels with Israel’s Iron Dome. Founded in 2024, the company has raised more than $130 million, including a $100 million Series A round, from venture investors such as Spark Capital, Lakestar, Lux, Accel and Ukraine’s D3 fund, which counts Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief executive, among its principal backers.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Skyhammer interceptor, which has been under testing since early 2025, is described as having a range of up to 30 km and a speed of approximately 700 km/h, while the Starhammer is defined as a high-speed subsonic interceptor with a range of up to 10 km and is intended to engage faster aerial threats. (Picture source: Cambridge Aerospace)
The company operated in “stealth” mode until its debut at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London, where it unveiled its Skyhammer and Starhammer interceptor systems. Former UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has been appointed chairman, an appointment cleared by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments with conditions. Cambridge Aerospace says its focus is on producing air defence solutions at scale to meet urgent demand identified in the UK Strategic Defence Review, which allocated up to £1 billion for integrated air and missile defence.
The Skyhammer interceptor, which has been under testing since early 2025, is described as having a range of up to 30 km and a speed of approximately 700 km/h, or Mach 0.7. Starhammer is defined as a high-speed subsonic interceptor with a range of up to 10 km and is intended to engage faster aerial threats. Both systems are launched from surface-based tubes, carry blast fragmentation warheads, and are fitted with a radar seeker developed by Cambridge Aerospace to provide all-weather capabilities. The firm notes that this radar-based approach differentiates the interceptors from lower-cost alternatives reliant on visual intercept guidance. Testing and development cycles have reportedly progressed from concept to flight trials in about six weeks, with weekly feature testing continuing as part of an iterative process. The company also announced its Nightstar solid rocket motor programme, which is intended to establish a sovereign UK supply chain, beginning with a facility under development in Norfolk.
Cambridge Aerospace states that its industrial goal is to begin with production volumes in the hundreds per month and expand to thousands monthly. The company’s engineering approach incorporates autonomous systems to keep design and manufacturing costs low, with unit costs targeted at around one to two percent of the price of traditional interceptors. The firm has said there is strong investor and government interest, with discussions reported to be underway with the UK Ministry of Defence and unnamed European defence departments. According to founder and chief executive Steven Barrett, formerly head of aerospace research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the business seeks to address a “desperate and urgent need” for scalable, affordable air defence in the UK and Europe. He has publicly argued that recent conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine, demonstrate the necessity of large numbers of low-cost interceptors to counter drone and cruise missile saturation attacks.
The investment context shows a shift in European and transatlantic funding priorities toward defence technologies. For years, many investors avoided the defence sector due to ethical concerns, but the conflict in Ukraine and growing awareness of threats to national infrastructure have changed attitudes. Eric Schmidt, who has invested in D3, has described drone warfare as a defining feature of future conflicts, predicting that it may reduce the relevance of tanks and artillery. D3 has been active in supporting Ukraine’s drone development and deployment. Cambridge Aerospace’s fundraising of more than $130 million reflects this broader capital movement, with venture funds increasingly turning toward defence as part of what some now describe as contributing to democratic resilience. Barrett himself has said that investing in defence has shifted in perception, from being avoided to being considered part of environmental, social and governance criteria under the theme of defending democracy.
The UK’s current air defence architecture relies on a multi-layered approach, but parliamentary reports and defence committee statements have warned of significant capability gaps. Britain does not operate a homeland ballistic missile defence system comparable to Israel’s Iron Dome, with the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers and their Sea Viper missiles providing the only ballistic missile defence-related capacity, albeit limited in homeland applications due to fleet size and radar coverage. The British Army fields Sky Sabre medium-range systems and Starstreak High Velocity Missiles, while the Royal Air Force maintains Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons at Lossiemouth and Coningsby. These are supplemented by the RAF’s Air Surveillance and Control System radar network and RAF Fylingdales’ ballistic missile early warning role, which also integrates with NATO’s missile defence network. The E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft is due to enter service by the end of 2025 after delays, replacing the retired E-3D Sentry fleet.
Internationally, the UK participates in NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence, which coordinates sensors, command and control, and interceptor systems across member states. Britain launched the DIAMOND initiative with allies in 2024 to improve integration, interoperability, and response speed. The UK has also signed a Letter of Intent to join the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative, which aims to procure layered, ground-based European air defence systems including Arrow 3, Patriot and IRIS-T. Although Britain has not committed to purchasing systems under ESSI, it has signalled interest in working with partners to complement its Sky Sabre and planned Land GBAD programmes. Additional research is being conducted through the Missile Defence Centre and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory into directed energy weapons, with the DragonFire laser system scheduled for installation on Type 45 destroyers starting in 2027. The UK also participates in AUKUS Pillar 2 projects focused on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technologies.
The Strategic Defence Review of June 2025 outlined £1 billion in investment for IAMD, recognising threats from drones, cruise missiles, and potential ballistic or hypersonic strikes. Parliamentary debates, committee reports, and expert commentary have labelled UK air defences as “negligible” or “inadequate” against massed missile attacks. Concerns include insufficient ground-based air defence units, inadequate early warning capacity, and a reduced combat air fleet due to cuts, leaving questions about resilience in an all-out war scenario. The review accepted 62 recommendations and endorsed a vision of a more integrated, digitally enabled defence posture with AI and autonomy incorporated into future force structures. It emphasised NATO cooperation, procurement of additional E-7 Wedgetail aircraft when affordable, development of next-generation maritime air dominance systems including Type 83 destroyers, and protection of critical national infrastructure. Analysts have noted that the credibility of any British “Iron Dome”-style solution will depend on the ability to translate prototypes like Skyhammer and Starhammer into reliable mass production, and to integrate them effectively into wider NATO defence frameworks.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
