United Kingdom plans to send Starstreak man-portable surface-to-air missile to Ukraine


According to information published by "The Guardian" on March 9, 2022, the United Kingdom plans to send Starstreak short-range surface-to-air defense missile system to Ukraine in support of Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
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British army HVM Light Role Missile Light Launcher System with Starstreak missiles, part of the Ground-Based Air Defence system. (Picture source British MoD)


United Kingdom will also continue to deliver NLAW short-range anti-tank guided missiles. Currently, Ukraine has already received 3,615 NLAWs. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested more anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to European countries and the United States.

Citing information from the British Government, to use the Starstreak air defense missile system, the Ukrainian soldiers need to be trained.

The Starstreak is a short-range man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) manufactured by the British subdivision of Thales in the United Kingdom. It is also known as Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile).

The Starstreak missile is transported in a sealed launch tube. This tube is attached to an aiming unit for firing. The operator tracks the target using the aiming unit's optically stabilized sight. The process of tracking the target allows the aiming unit to compute the right trajectory to bring the missile together with the target. The operator can indicate wind direction to the unit and, in the case of a long-range target, provide super elevation. When the initial tracking is complete, the operator fires the missile by pressing a button.

The Starstreak is a truly versatile missile and is most effective when dealing with targets with short exposure times. s. As soon as a target is detected the operator presses the trigger and launches the missile. (There is no waiting for lock-on). The rocket motor system accelerates the missile to greater than Mach 3 in a fraction of a second. The missile then releases the three laser-guided hittiles towards the target. The laser beam riding guidance, which enables precision engagement of the smallest of targets, is immune to all known countermeasures. The hittiles in flight cannot be decoyed by even the latest flares or Electronic Countermeasures (ECM). The Starstreak has a maximum operational range of 7,000 m.