Tiberius Aerospace's Sceptre TRBM 155HG 155mm artillery round

Grey Havoc

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https://newatlas.com/military/ramjet-engine-turns-artillery-rounds-supersonic-missiles/
Debuting on May 19, 2025 before the Future Artillery conference in London, the Sceptre TRBM 155HG 155mm ramjet-powered precision-guided artillery munition is designed to fit in any NATO standard 155mm artillery piece. Built around a small ramjet engine, it has a range of 93 miles (150 km), can fly at Mach 3.5, and can reach an altitude of 65,000 ft (19,800 m).

The altitude is particularly important because the Sceptre is a precision round with a hybrid GPS/inertial guidance system and AI-enhanced targeting correction that can hit a target with a margin of error of 16 ft (5 m). By flying at high altitude, this puts Sceptre (hopefully) out of the range of electronic warfare jamming devices. In addition, being able to preserve such precision means that it can get by with an explosive payload of only 11.5 lb (5.2 kg).

Sceptre is liquid fueled and is compatible with diesel, JP-4, and JP-8 fuels. Its just-in-time fueling system allows it to be stored for up to 20 years. The company says that it's undergone field tests in the US and claims the Sceptre is significantly cheaper than comparable-range missiles.

https://www.janes.com/osint-insight...berius-unveils-sceptre-ramjet-155-mm-munition(Subscription or registration may be required)

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/tiberius...ed-missiles-and-lethality-evaluation-software
 
Their choice of liquid propellant is bit on the weird side, as assuming launched from M777 with barrel length of 5m. Mach 2 speed or 680 m/s will subject the round to about 19135 G, will the propellant tank hold on to those acceleration ?

So far ramjet aided projectiles have been a solid fuel.
 
Their choice of liquid propellant is bit on the weird side, as assuming launched from M777 with barrel length of 5m. Mach 2 speed or 680 m/s will subject the round to about 19135 G, will the propellant tank hold on to those acceleration ?

So far ramjet aided projectiles have been a solid fuel.
They want to use things like normal JP fuels or diesel for reducing cost so i guess they probaly figured sutch problems out. That said its still a hugh round with 1.5m length so they had some space to work with
 
A question: If ram-jet intended as 'Sustainer', must round be launched as harshly as trad munition ?

System would seem a mini-MLRS, fit better between self-loading 'Howitzer' and self-loading 'Mortar'.

With advantage (?) that can also fire 'trad' rounds.

Uh, which was the US LAV that could fire rockets and 'trad' ?
Ah, the unfortunate Sheridan, and its hapless Shillelagh...
 
A question: If ram-jet intended as 'Sustainer', must round be launched as harshly as trad munition ?

System would seem a mini-MLRS, fit better between self-loading 'Howitzer' and self-loading 'Mortar'.

With advantage (?) that can also fire 'trad' rounds.

Uh, which was the US LAV that could fire rockets and 'trad' ?
Ah, the unfortunate Sheridan, and its hapless Shillelagh...

To a degree yes, if its going to reach operating speed for the ramjet...particularly if its 1.5m long...they say it leaves the barrel at m2.0 (about 690m/s at sea level). Then accelerates rapidly to m3.5 as it climbs.

They have also posited (not developed) Invictus, a 2.4m long missile using the same tech.
 
To a degree yes, if its going to reach operating speed for the ramjet...particularly if its 1.5m long...they say it leaves the barrel at m2.0 (about 690m/s at sea level). Then accelerates rapidly to m3.5 as it climbs.

They have also posited (not developed) Invictus, a 2.4m long missile using the same tech.
Which probaly also has a solid sustainer in it. Would be interresting if Spectre also did
 
Which probaly also has a solid sustainer in it. Would be interresting if Spectre also did

You'd think its got a solid booster to launch and get to speed. But as an adaptation of Scepter (essentially its elongated by 1m) you'd have to assume they'd follow the same path in terms of ramjet fuel.
 
You'd think its got a solid booster to launch and get to speed. But as an adaptation of Scepter (essentially its elongated by 1m) you'd have to assume they'd follow the same path in terms of ramjet fuel.
Yeah only a solid booster. That said its Not only longer but also thicker with 165mm vs 155mm. Still i like the idea of it if its cheap enough.
Like a 122mm missile with the range of GMLRS-ER
 
As a though experiment, could this ramjet be adapted to solid rocket booster?
Imagine a GMLRS type system with these.....
OK you'd get less in a HIMARS than 122mm rockets, but it matches the ER version.

Another thought....
Could this also be adapted to airlaunch?
A 155mm missile that ideally fits into weapons bays.....

An 203mm (8") option would be nice too.
 
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https://www.tiberius.com/sceptre-specsLooking at the nose of that thing, I now want them to move into air defence and make a mini-Sea Dart looking SAM. On the face of it it has all of the right attributes:
  • Accelerates from M2 out of the barrel to M3.5 at shutoff, so plenty of grunt in the motor to accelerate.
  • 155mm diameter, so a little less than ASRAAM/CAMM.
  • 155cm long and 47kg, so there's weight margin to extend the fuel section and add a booster before it exceeds CAMM dimensions.
  • Unspecified 'payload space' inside the shock cone so there might be room to add a small radar seeker a la Starhammer.
  • It would look incredibly cool on the quad Raven 5 ASRAAM rails.
Problems to be solved would be fitting the actuators for high speed manoeuvring; folding fins wouldn't be needed any more but it would have to be a canard arrangement as there isn't room around the motor.
If it really does have 140km range in its current form I can't see why a small liquid-fuelled ramjet like this couldn't blow CAMM's 25km range out of the park.
 
As a though experiment, could this ramjet be adapted to solid rocket booster?
Imagine a GMLRS type system with these.....
OK you'd get less in a HIMARS than 122mm rockets, but it matches the ER version.

Another thought....
Could this also be adapted to airlaunch?
A 155mm missile that ideally fits into weapons bays.....

An 203mm (8") option would be nice too.
It's a little smaller than Spear 3 in both length and diameter. Would need a booster for subsonic launch but the potential for a M3 140km range munition on quad racks in an F35B bay!?
 
I wouldn't assume it has a high agility. Good enough for the sort of course it's intended to fly.

But air-to-ground potential with the right booster and obviously an alternative to 122mm MLRS-ER surface-to-surface, again with the right (but different) booster.

Note the flightpath includes acceleration on the dive, which would make interception harder.
 
That seems compatible with i-launcher and CAMM cells.

Can we stretch Invictus to 3.2m?
It's a bit heavier than CAMM-ER but I think it would work with iLauncher. Not sure you'd want to with that Vault concept though, it doesn't really compete for weight of fire.
Most importantly, can a MMW seeker fit in the nose to fulfil the moving vehicle Land Precision Strike requirement? MBDA's concept is a lot heavier for reported quite similar range and much longer reaction times.
 
It's a bit heavier than CAMM-ER but I think it would work with iLauncher.

SVL was tested to 250kg originally I believe.

It's a bit heavier than CAMM-ER but I think it would work with iLauncher. Not sure you'd want to with that Vault concept though, it doesn't really compete for weight of fire.
Most importantly, can a MMW seeker fit in the nose to fulfil the moving vehicle Land Precision Strike requirement? MBDA's concept is a lot heavier for reported quite similar range and much longer reaction times.

The LPS missile (a ground launced 'Spear-LR') should have of at least 250-300nm. So double that of Tiberius.
 
SVL was tested to 250kg originally I believe.


The LPS missile (a ground launced 'Spear-LR') should have of at least 250-300nm. So double that of Tiberius.
I assume a turnover pack wouldn't be needed? It obviously isn't going to be firing on a flat trajectory but to avoid the exhaust hitting the launcher it might be necessary.

I hadn't heard anything quite that ambitious for LPS, more around the 250-300km mark. Would be interested in a source for that as it's a very cool concept (ofc held up by DIP).
 
I assume a turnover pack wouldn't be needed? It obviously isn't going to be firing on a flat trajectory but to avoid the exhaust hitting the launcher it might be necessary.
LPS or Tiberius? LPS is hot launched now from M270. Soft launch seems to have been discarded for it. Tiberius wouldn't need a turnover pack, a trainable launcher might make sense though. Like LPS M270 would be the sensible choice.

I hadn't heard anything quite that ambitious for LPS, more around the 250-300km mark. Would be interested in a source for that as it's a very cool concept (ofc held up by DIP).

All changed with the move from the CAMM/Brimstone mashup (though in reality it looked like a less aerodynamic CAMM it was a larger calibre, 178 vs 166mm, same as the Brimstone seeker head). When it turned up as a massively elongated SPEAR the range changed as well. Essentially its twice as long as SPEAR (which has at least 125nm of range) and when you look at it closely it has a wider body (apart from the seeker section, which re-uses the Seeker head). Even if it uses the larger SpearGlide warhead the internal volume available for fuel is far more than double that of SPEAR, it likely will approach at least 3 times as much fuel. Add in the rocket booster to get it to altitude and speed for jet engine ignition and its all there...
 
LPS or Tiberius? LPS is hot launched now from M270. Soft launch seems to have been discarded for it. Tiberius wouldn't need a turnover pack, a trainable launcher might make sense though. Like LPS M270 would be the sensible choice.
Tiberius for soft launch. S-300 uses cold launch with no turnover pack but the electronics on iLauncher might not be designed for that. M270 would be good but then there's loads of room left over as GMLRS is 227mm diameter and just under 4m long. Either we could do a new pod with more rockets like the Koreans do- my quick mockup suggests you could fit at least 9- or Tiberius would have to make a GMLRS-sized rocket, which would have stupendous range.
All changed with the move from the CAMM/Brimstone mashup (though in reality it looked like a less aerodynamic CAMM it was a larger calibre, 178 vs 166mm, same as the Brimstone seeker head). When it turned up as a massively elongated SPEAR the range changed as well. Essentially its twice as long as SPEAR (which has at least 125nm of range) and when you look at it closely it has a wider body (apart from the seeker section, which re-uses the Seeker head). Even if it uses the larger SpearGlide warhead the internal volume available for fuel is far more than double that of SPEAR, it likely will approach at least 3 times as much fuel. Add in the rocket booster to get it to altitude and speed for jet engine ignition and its all there...
SPEAR is officially only supposed to have 140km range, I thought. Unless MBDA modesty is being taken to extremes, which I am half inclined to believe, 125nm is a huge jump up. LPS could have double that but it would still only be 150nm range.
Now we need LPS air launched as our alternative to AARGM-ER, that would be immensely cool.
 
Is Spear III alive?
LPS like Spear III seems to have dropped off any reports in the media.
I'd say it's practically dead and lives only by institutional inertia. No one yet ready to declare the obvious.
 
Is Spear III alive?
LPS like Spear III seems to have dropped off any reports in the media.
I'd say it's practically dead and lives only by institutional inertia. No one yet ready to declare the obvious.

SPEAR is definitely alive...LPS is awaiting the DIP, but given the increase in M270A2 seems a safe bet, LRAE not so much...

SPEAR will be ready c2028....but....the big issue is we're planning to deploy on F-35 NOT Typhoon....there is a chance it actually goes operational on German, Italian or Spanish Typhoon before our F-35...obviously a ridiculous situation, and one easily resolved by RAF...

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/delayed-spear-3-review-note-set-for-imminent-submission/
SPEAR is officially only supposed to have 140km range

Lets put it this way....SDB2 is the same size and weight, almost exactly the same shape....and glides without any power for 111km+....SPEAR has a warhead half the size and has a turbojet....do you think they're adding all that cost and complexity for 29km....3 minutes of the jet engine working....

When you look at weight, fuel burn of the engine and available space for fuel its obvious that 125nm (231km+) is easily achievable...in fact it will likely be significantly more...remember after the SPEAR has burnt all of its fuel....dependent on flight profile it could still glide like SDB2....which can glide for 111km.....only it will weigh less (half the warhead and fuel all consumed, but.... it will still have the deadweight of the engine and drag from intake though)....
 
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The other advantage of this technology is increased barrel life. The barrel fatigue life is a function of the propellant charge and decreases rapidly as the propellant charge increases, which is done for longer range fire. With this technology a small amount of of an exceptionally long range can be traded for a big increase in barrel life.

Considering there’s pictures of ramjet assisted artillery shells used in WW2 trials I’m surprised it’s taken this long to make it into production.
 
. was under the impression SPEAR variants were primarily for helio & ground launch.

What is SPEARglide please?
 
. was under the impression SPEAR variants were primarily for helio & ground launch.

What is SPEARglide please?

SpearGlide was originally a Spear missile without the engine (and fuel) but with an enlarged warhead. Essentially re-purposing the Spear as a direct competitor to SDB2. Would be cheaper, with a bigger bang than Spear, but dramatically reduced range.

Recently MBDA showed it again after a gap. Now it has removed the MMW seeker head from Spear and replaced with an IIR sensor (whilst obviously still retaining the GPS/INS and datalink internals). My guess is that this was in response to the UK's MRUSW study and was to reduce the cost even further. Essentially this would move it closer to SDB1 in cost, but retain moving target engagement capability and BDA, a sort of half way house.
 
Recently MBDA showed it again after a gap. Now it has removed the MMW seeker head from Spear and replaced with an IIR sensor (whilst obviously still retaining the GPS/INS and datalink internals). My guess is that this was in response to the UK's MRUSW study and was to reduce the cost even further. Essentially this would move it closer to SDB1 in cost, but retain moving target engagement capability and BDA, a sort of half way house.
Only MMW or also SAL? Because i would argue that the value of SAL isn't very high for the cost it brings
 
Don't know. Actually wouldn't be expensive to retain SAL with a new IIR seeker.
But is it worth the cost? I personally don't believe so.

But coming back to Tiberius SCEPTRE which while being an interresting round seems to be mostly for towed howitzer. While not all many automated howitzer like RCH 155 and PzH 2000 are limited to 1m long rounds so SCEPTRE wouldn't fit.
 
Their choice of liquid propellant is bit on the weird side, as assuming launched from M777 with barrel length of 5m. Mach 2 speed or 680 m/s will subject the round to about 19135 G, will the propellant tank hold on to those acceleration ?

So far ramjet aided projectiles have been a solid fuel.
Idea liquid propellant isn't terrible solid propellant is dense but has shelf life. Liquid can be loaded and only shells and warheads need be moved or transported.
Ramjets work better with liquid fuel because liquid can be reduced atomized format just like injector in your car engine. Solid fuel the more particle reduction size greater risk particulate fire or reaction spark explosion see fireworks
 

UK-based Tiberius begins formal testing of its Invictus missile​

https://resiliencemedia.co/uk-based-tiberius-begins-formal-testing-of-its-invictus-missile/
The platform will “pair a ramjet with an integral booster” to fly at up to Mach 3 for 200 kilometers. The missiles can hit within 5.5 meters of many targets and can carry a 10-15 kilogram payload. The missile also uses Tiberius’ GRAIL control system, a modular architecture that allows for on-the-fly updates in the field.
 

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IF its cheap...it could have real utility as an air launched weapon as well...
Based on the door in the image I'd say it's about 2.5-3m long, could even be carried by a helo given that it seems similar in size to a Sea Venom missile.
 
15kg payload? That's not much for a missile like that. Not enough bang for the buck in my opinion.
 
15kg payload? That's not much for a missile like that. Not enough bang for the buck in my opinion.
On there Website the payload is still undisclosed but then again the warhead size is depicted by the target. Now they seem to advertise the missile at 200k $(?) atleast thats my understanding. With this they argue that mass is what you want and it does seem interresting but personally i would love to see if they could develop a ARM version with it.
 
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