Image source: topwar.ru
As part of the development of long-range projectiles, Western research has focused on the creation of ammunition with ramjet engines. At the same time, solid fuels are used to power them. Liquid weapons are too capricious for the "hard" world of artillery: the main problem is a dynamic impact: at the moment of firing, the projectile experiences an overload of thousands of g, the liquid behaves like a heavy hammer, instantly destroying partitions and nozzles.
But there is significant potential: liquid fuel allows for more flexible control of engine thrust, which helps to more accurately adjust the range of the projectile.
Image source: topwar.ru
The American company Tiberius Aerospace announced that it conducted fire tests of a 155-mm TRBM 155HG Sceptre ("Scepter") projectile with a liquid ramjet engine, publishing the corresponding video. It shows the firing of a projectile (followed by a pallet) and the operation of the engine mounted on it. The developer noted about this:
The developer stated that this test was a "real world breakthrough," noting that he was moving to large-scale field tests.
Image source: topwar.ru
The development of Sceptre became known in May 2025. It is claimed that the length of the projectile is 1.55 m, the mass when fired is 47.5 kg, of which 5.2 kg falls on the warhead (it can also be equipped with an armor-piercing tip made of tungsten alloy to increase penetration), the maximum range of fire is 140-160 km, the speed at the initial stage is about 3.5 Mach (4290 km/ h), the working height is more than 19.8 thousand meters ("exceeds the typical range of electronic warfare equipment"). The RAMJET attached to it can run on various types of fuel – diesel and JP-4 and JP-8 aviation brands. The INS and GPS provide a 3.5 m CVO.
The Sceptre can be used from any 155 mm cannon, without the need for any additional modifications. The cost of Sceptre will be about $ 52 thousand, excluding warhead, fuel and detonator. For example, the guided projectile M982 Excalibur in 2023 cost up to $ 178 thousand.
