The UK Ministry of Defence has contracted Cambridge Aerospace to supply Skyhammer drone interceptors to the British Armed Forces and Gulf partners, with initial deliveries expected in May — one of the fastest procurement timelines for a domestically developed weapons system in recent British defence history.

Skyhammer is a tube-launched, radar-guided interceptor with a range of more than 30 kilometres and a top speed of 700 km/h, designed to defeat Shahed-style drones and subsonic missiles. The system carries an X-band radar seeker for all-weather autonomous target acquisition. 

Cambridge Aerospace was founded in late 2024 and began development of Skyhammer in January 2025, moving into initial flight testing within six weeks. The company has raised $136 million across three rounds of funding and now employs more than 125 people across the UK and Europe. 

Defence Secretary John Healey announced the contract at the London Defence Conference, framing it as part of a broader push to accelerate procurement from innovative British companies applying lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East. The multimillion-pound contract includes integration, technical support, and end-user training, and is expected to create more than 50 new jobs while supporting 125 existing roles at Cambridge Aerospace.