August 4, 2026
Tiberius Aerospace, the modern defense technology company building next-generation
weapon systems and AI-powered defense solutions for the United States, the United
Kingdom and allied nations, today announced that it has entered into a Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM AC) to support the continued
development and maturation of Sceptre, the company’s next-generation precision-guided,
ramjet-powered 155mm artillery munition.
The CRADA establishes a collaborative research framework between Tiberius Aerospace and
DEVCOM AC, enabling the parties to collaborate on mutually agreed research and technical
activities relating to the Sceptre program. CRADAs are a long-established mechanism
through which the U.S. Army works with industry to accelerate the development and
maturation of technologies of mutual interest.
Unlike conventional rocket-assisted projectiles, Sceptre uses a liquid-fueled ramjet that
provides sustained propulsion throughout flight, delivering a step change in the
performance of tube artillery. 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 150 kilometers, with target accuracy within five meters,
even in GPS-denied environments.
Crucially, Sceptre requires no new launcher or bespoke firing platform, enabling armed
forces to dramatically extend the capability of their existing artillery inventories without
introducing a new weapon system. Its 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.
Designed from the outset as a software-defined weapon, Sceptre combines advanced
propulsion with a modular open architecture that enables continuous capability upgrades
throughout its service life. Through integration with GRAIL, Tiberius Aerospace’s AI-powered
platform for the continuous iteration of weapon systems, new targeting capabilities,
guidance algorithms, mission software and autonomy can be rapidly integrated throughout
the munition’s lifecycle. By connecting operational requirements with engineering, testing
and federated manufacturing, GRAIL enables Sceptre to evolve continuously in response to
emerging threats, accelerating the delivery of improved capability to the battlefield.
In April 2026, Tiberius Aerospace achieved a world-first demonstration by successfully
launching a liquid-fueled ramjet from a NATO-standard 155mm howitzer. Together with
previous demonstrations of round integrity under launch conditions of approximately
16,000 g, successful fin deployment and stable aerodynamic flight the company’s disciplined
flight-test program continues to systematically validate each of the core technologies
underpinning Sceptre.
The CRADA further expands Tiberius Aerospace’s collaboration with the U.S. Department of
Defense and marks another important milestone in the maturation of the Sceptre program.
By combining advanced propulsion, precision guidance, software-defined architecture and
AI-enabled continuous iteration.