DSA 2022: RAPIDRanger STARStreak 4x4 mobile air defense missile system of the Malaysian army

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At DSA 2022, Defense Exhibition in Malaysia, the Malaysian company Weststar presents the air defense vehicle based on a URO VAMTAC 4x4 light tactical vehicle fitted with the Thales Rapid Ranger Starstreak surface-to-air missiles launcher unit.

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WestStar displays Thales RAPIDRanger STARStreak air defense missile weapon station mounted on URO Vamtac 4x4 light tactical vehicle. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Rapid Ranger STARStreak air defense missile system in service with the Malaysian is mounted on a Spanish-made URO Vamtac 4x4 light tactical vehicle. The turret weapon system includes optics and four ready-to-launch missile containers able to fire the STARStreak missile.

The STARStreak is a short-range, man-portable, air-defense missile manufactured by Thales in the UK to provide air defense against aerial threats including fixed-wing fighter aircraft and attack Helicopters.

The main components of the RAPIDRanger are a servo-driven turret and the weapon’s operator Human Machine Interface (HMI). The turret houses the Stabilised Sight Head (SSH), and supports two missile panniers. The SSH contains Daylight and Thermal Imaging cameras, integrated with an Automatic Target Tracker (ATT), a laser guidance unit to support STARStreak and LMM, and an optional laser rangefinder

The RAPIDRanger is designed to include an integral 360° surveillance sensor - either a passive InfraRed Search and Track (IRST) or integrated Surveillance and Track Radar which provides the RAPIDRanger with a completely autonomous system operation.

The RAPIDRanger weapon station has a weight of less than 500 kg. It has a range detection of 15 km and a target to kill range of 7 km.

The STARStreak is a surface-to-air missile that is equipped with three "Darts" submunitions, each carrying 450 gr of explosive charge, detonated by a delayed-action, impact activated fuse. The STARStreak hittiles are designed to defeat both heavily armored and light-skin aerial targets. On penetrating the targets the hittiles will inflict high levels of kinetic energy damage and each hittile also has a fragmenting warhead that detonates inside the target to maximize lethality. The strike is highly precise yet collateral damage is minimized.

The STARStreak missile has a weight of 14 kg and can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 3. The missile has an operational range of 7 km.