100 soldiers from Thorney Island to deploy to Poland to operate Royal Artillery’s new Sky Sabre missile system

Britain is to deploy its new Sky Sabre missile defence system to Poland – along with about 100 soldiers from Thorney Island – as Nato seeks to beef up its security amid the war between Russia and Ukraine.
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The sophisticated weapon system is based with 16 Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island, and is capable of striking a tennis ball travelling at speed of sound.

The move to deploy the kit – which was only approved for use by the British Army at the end of last year – was announced by defence secretary Ben Wallace.

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Speaking during a visit to Warsaw, the Tory minister told journalists at a news conference: “We are going to deploy the Sky Sabre medium-range, anti-air missile system to Poland with about 100 personnel to make sure that we stand alongside Poland, protecting her airspace from any further aggression by Russia.’

16 Regiment Royal Artillery troops marching past the new Sky Sabre system at a parade earlier this year. Picture: Habibur Rahman16 Regiment Royal Artillery troops marching past the new Sky Sabre system at a parade earlier this year. Picture: Habibur Rahman
16 Regiment Royal Artillery troops marching past the new Sky Sabre system at a parade earlier this year. Picture: Habibur Rahman

A spokesman for prime minster Boris Johnson told news agency Reuters that the missile system was being deployed after a request from the Polish government and will remain under the control of British forces at all times.

“It is, as ever, a purely defensive capability which we are providing on a bilateral basis to Poland,’ the spokesman said.

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Sky Sabre is one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world, replacing the tried-and-tested Rapier system, was retired from service earlier this year.

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The new piece of kit has been built to counter the threat of Russian stealth fighters and hypersonic missiles.

Made up of a common anti-air modular missile, with three times the range of Rapier, and the Giraffe radar, that rotates 360 degrees on an extending mast and can scan out to 75 miles for threats.

The missiles can reach speeds of 2,300mph, destroying fighter aircraft, drones and even laser-guided smart bombs out to 16 miles.

Eight missiles are mounted on the launcher, which is able to re-arm in less than half the time of Rapier.

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The platform has already been deployed in the Falklands. But this will be its further mission into Europe amid the escalating crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

Sky Sabre’s arrival into the country follows a Russian cruise missile strike on a Ukrainian military base at Yavoriv, about 10 miles from the Polish border on Sunday.

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