- Tiberius Aerospace has entered a CRADA agreement with the US Army to develop the 155mm Sceptre artillery munition
- It can reach up to 150 kilometres, considerably further than conventional artillery, threatening enemy operational depth
- The munition reduces cost in that it complements Nato-standard guns and relies on readily available fuels such as diesel
Anglo-American defence supplier, Tiberius Aerospace, will work with the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center to support the continued maturation of its 155mm artillery tube munition.
The specific development framework is called a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). It is a long-established mechanism through which the Army works with industry to accelerate the development and maturation of technologies of mutual interest.
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It reportedly takes around three months to develop a system from initial proposal to signature.
Sceptre is powered by a liquid-fuelled ramjet for precision strike (within five metres of the target) at extended ranges up to 150 kilometres (93 miles).
Older, unassisted shells do not exceed 30km while contemporary 155mm munitions reach +50km, prompting Tiberius to describe the weapon as a “revolutionary” change in the market.
The weapon was unveiled in May 2025. The company soon secured a contract to develop the shell with the UK Ministry of Defence as a launch customer. Currently there is no official programme of record; the liquid fuel concept was validated in test firings from a Nato howitzer in new Mexico only four months ago.
Mid-range strike
Sceptre’s range indicates a growing demand signal in the indirect fires sector. Militaries require the ability to reach the enemy at any distance.
Ukraine’s forces claim to be gaining the initiative based on its ability to conduct middle– and long-range strikes against Russia’s operational depth – where the enemy coordinates and manages supplies – and strategic targets such as oil refineries inside Russian territory.
Ukraine uses home-grown, formidable effects including Fire Point‘s FP-2 one-way attack uncrewed aerial system or the new FP-7 tactical ballistic missile. In June, Fire Point’s CEO spoke to this reporter about how the company reduce the cost of units by budgeting for reliable flight components and spending cheaply on everything else as they aim to deliver at mass production.
But Sceptre also fits neatly in the middle range, between 30 and 200 kilometres, at an acceptable cost. Typically, hitting targets in this gap required high-cost, limited inventory precision missiles such as Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems or Army Tactical Ballistic Missile Systems.
Reduced cost
Tiberius reduces the overall cost in deploying the shell for two reasons. First, it complements Nato-standard howitzers and second, the munition relies on readily available fuels.
Fired from a Nato-standard 155mm howitzer, Sceptre is designed to accelerate beyond Mach 3, reach altitudes exceeding 65,000 feet and deliver precision effects at ranges of up to 150km, with target accuracy within five meters, even in GPS-denied environments.
Meanwhile, the propulsion system uses a multi-fuel liquid propellant compatible with readily available military fuels, including diesel, JP-4 and JP-8, reducing logistics, storage and sustainment requirements while leveraging existing battlefield fuel supply chains.
