The CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) is a family of surface-to-air missiles developed by MBDA UK for the United Kingdom. CAMM is derived from, and shares some common features and components with, the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), but with updated electronics, a soft vertical launch system, and an active radar homing seeker. The CAMM family is in use by or on order for the armed forces of several countries.
In the Royal Navy, CAMM, the point and local area defence variant with a range of greater than , is part of the Sea Ceptor air defence system which replaced the Sea Wolf missiles on Type 23 frigates starting from 2018. , It was planned to equip both the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates planned for 2028, and to replace Aster 15 on the Type 45 destroyer. In the British Army, CAMM forms the interceptor component of the Sky Sabre/Land Ceptor air defence system, which replaced the Rapier missile from 2021. The development of CAMM is also contributing to the updating of ASRAAM in service with the Royal Air Force.
An extended-range version of the CAMM (CAMM-ER) was in the final stages of development by the UK and Italy . It is capable of reaching targets over away. Brazil's Avibras announced in 2014 in partnership with MBDA that it was to develop the similar + ranged MV-AMA (AVibras Medium Altitude Missile) based on the CAMM for its Astros 2020 MLRS and naval platforms. A larger CAMM-MR (medium-range) missile with a range of over was being developed by the UK and Poland in 2022, to equip Polish s and Wisła air defence systems.
Development
Research and development timeline The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile has its roots in a Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP), jointly funded by MBDA and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as part of the United Kingdom's Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS). FLAADS is part of a wider UK "Team Complex Weapons" (UK Industrial partnership of companies such as MBDA and Thales UK) programme to deliver a variety of weapons and maintain UK sovereign capability in this area. FLAADS is intended to deliver a common weapons platform, CAMM, to equip forces in the air, land and maritime environments.Complex Weapons Hansard, 15 July 2008 During the early stages of the FLAADS programme, requirements were identified for the new missile to meet both current and anticipated threats, namely "airborne targets which are typified by high speed, rapid evasive manoeuvres, low signatures and advanced countermeasure[s]."FLAADS MBDA, June 2010
Phase 1 of the TDP worked on technologies for soft vertical launch, the low-cost active radar seeker, a dual-band two-way data link and a programmable open systems architecture. Phase 2 began in 2008 and covered the manufacture of flight-worthy subsystems, mid-course guidance firings and captive airborne seeker trials on a Qinetiq Andover experimental aircraft. The Soft Vertical Launch was proven over a series of trials starting from 2003, culminating in a successful soft launch of a complete missile in May 2011. In January 2012 the MoD awarded MBDA a £483 million contract to develop FLAADS (Maritime) to replace Sea Wolf missiles on Type 23 frigates now known as Sea Ceptor.
In 2013, MBDA and Thales UK outlined in a press release the scale of their cooperation on the development of both CAMM and FLAADS. Manufacturing work valuing £1 million had been placed at Thales' Belfast site, including for elements such as internal thermal management modelling, structural analysis, and precision manufacturing of a number of missile components. MBDA and Thales were also exploring on other areas such as the provision of in-service support to CAMM users. Thales' Basingstoke site were also exploring two pilot programs covering missile safety and arming units and intelligent fuzes, in cooperation with MBDA. The Basingstoke site had already been contracted in 2012 to supply CAMM with laser proximity fuzes under an £11 million contract.
Throughout this development, ASRAAM was used as the base design for the future missile but with new software, a turnover pack, folding fins, an RF seeker, and data-link added to facilitate the required capabilities. Other components beyond those directly from ASRAAM were reused from other programs such as the command and control software which reuses around 70% of that developed for the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) on board the Type 45 destroyers as well as some internal electronic components from the Sea Wolf Block 2 missiles. In return, some of the technologies and components developed for CAMM were used to upgrade ASRAAM as part of the Block 6 upgrade. Overall, development costs were reduced by a using modular design and minimised complexity.
In January 2015, the MoD announced that it had signed a development and manufacturing deal with MBDA in late December 2014.
Trial In September 2017, the first successful Sea Ceptor (CAMM) firing occurred at sea from the Type 23 frigate, HMS Argyll. On 24 June 2021, MBDA announced that CAMM-ER had completed its first successful live-firing in late 2020 from a range in Italy.
Production On 13 March 2024, it was announced that MBDA was seeking to triple the monthly production rate of the CAMM family of missiles from 2022 to 2026. Furthermore, MBDA would double production capacity of its Bolton facility in the UK and create a second final assembly line for CAMM-ER in Italy.
Characteristics The main variants of the CAMM family utilise a number of common features.
The missiles' guidance system uses a combination of two-way data link for in-flight guidance and retargeting, and an active RF seeker, using gallium nitride (GaN) solid-state power amplifier technology, for terminal guidance (lock-on after launch) providing high performance in all weather conditions. As missiles can receive guidance inputs over data link, targeting data through to the missile's terminal phase can be provided by the fire-control channel(s) present on modern 3D radar systems, removing any requirement for a ship or ground-based air-defence system (GBAD) to incorporate dedicated fire-control or radar illuminator systems, helping to reduce system cost, weight, and maintenance requirements. This also allows the use of targeting data from a much greater variety of sources, for instance, if a ship's combat management system or a GBAD's command post is compatible with wider battlefield data-link systems (e.g. NATO's Link 16) then connected assets including aircraft or other air defence systems can contribute targeting data. This guidance combination reportedly allows a high rate of fire against multiple simultaneous targets (saturation attacks) and against a "wide target set" with missiles also described as having a "modest" surface-to-surface capability. However, there are concerns that the increased use of data link may make the system more vulnerable to electronic warfare measures.
CAMM also incorporates a cold launch system referred to as Soft Vertical Launch (SVL). Unlike the more traditional hot launch method whereby a missile would use its own rocket motor to leave its launch cell, SVL uses a gas generator to pneumatically eject the missile from its canister while a turn-over pack on the missile body orients the missile directly towards the target before engaging its rocket motor and accelerating for interception. Whilst still providing 360° coverage around the launch system, the unique benefits of this launch method include: Increased maximum interception range by saving all the rocket motor's energy to power the intercept. Reduced minimum intercept range by reducing the turn-over arc required of the missile after launch which would otherwise bleed valuable energy (reportedly saving 30% of launch weight). Reduced stress on launch platforms and the removal of most efflux management concerns which allows for both reduced launcher maintenance, lighter and more compact launcher options, and greater freedom of launching locations, for instance, the increased feasibility of firing the missiles from wooded or urban areas. Reduced risks from missile malfunction as there is little risk of the missile being stuck in the launcher with a burning rocket motor and damage the launcher and surrounding missiles. Reduced launch signature (visual / infrared) for better launch platform concealment (also potentially enables the physical camouflaging of the launcher) and reduced sensor obstruction post-firing.
The CAMM family are described as having a maintenance-free design throughout the missile's shelf life of reportedly 10 or 20 years, with munitions remaining safely sealed in their launch canisters until firing. CAMM's software utilises open-systems architecture allowing for both easier integration with new sensors and combat management systems but also general upgrades throughout its service life. Additionally, all CAMM munitions are rated as Insensitive munition compliant for improved platform survivability in the event of damage.
The missiles of the CAMM family can be used interchangeably by both naval and ground-based air defence systems allowing for common usage and shared munition stockpiles between military branches.
Ground-based air defence (Land Ceptor)
The land application of CAMM is marketed as the "Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions" (EMADS) package or "Land Ceptor".
The system utilises MBDA's Intelligent Launcher (iLauncher), a scalable, palletised erector launcher for up to eight CAMM or CAMM-ER missiles and mounted to an 8x8 vehicle of choice. iLauncher provides the two-way data link for the missiles in-flight and can also optionally integrate an electro-optical targeting system for passive target acquisition within line of sight of the launcher. Additionally, iLauncher is capable of self-loading/unloading missile racks via a hook system or change individual missile canisters with the assistance of a crane (This reportedly allows for missiles to be loaded in half the time as required for Rapier). It is also fitted with its own power supply allowing it to be dismounted from the parent vehicle and operated remotely if necessary, as well as mounting onboard test-equipment for streamlined maintenance. iLauncher has evolved considerably from its initial concept in the early 2010s. The first iterations of the system were seen mounted on MAN 4x4 trucks, loaded with two racks of six missiles (12 missiles total), a small crane, an early version of the data link mast and considerably fewer auxiliary components compared to the final product.
As part of EMADS, CAMM and iLauncher are designed to be integrated with a customer's choice of command and radar systems, as well as wider battlespace management systems such as Northrop Grumman's Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS). Additionally, by using data link, the various component systems of EMADS (launchers, sensors, command systems) do not require physical connectors such as cables to be established between them, allowing a battery or fire-group to deploy and redeploy more rapidly but also allowing for components to be spaced apart out to a reported distance of for improved survivability.
Naval-based air defence (Sea Ceptor) The naval application of CAMM is marketed as "Sea Ceptor". CAMM can be integrated on vessels as small as such as in/offshore patrol vessels or on larger surface combatants (destroyers and frigates), only requiring the internal installation of the necessary computing systems as well as above-deck aerials for the two-way data link for the missiles, and is designed to be easily integrated with a ship's combat management system.
CAMM's soft vertical launch capability with the resultant removal of most efflux management concerns aboard ships enables the use of a variety of shipborne launching options.