Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timeline is for doubling the number of Sky Sabre air defence systems operated by the Army.

The Defence Investment Plan commits over £350 million to double the number of deployable Sky Sabre air defence missile systems operated by the Army.

This increase is being delivered through the Land Ground Based Air Defence (LGBAD) Programme's Capability Uplift Package 1 (CUP1). Additional Surface-to-Air Missile Operating Centres are on contract for delivery at the end of 2026 and are expected to enter service in 2027. Additional Land Ceptor launchers and associated support vehicles are also on contract for delivery in 2027. Together, these investments will double the number of deployable Sky Sabre systems operated by the Army.

The LGBAD Programme is also considering further enhancements to Sky Sabre capability, but I am unable to comment further while commercial negotiations are ongoing.