Starstreak High Velocity Missile System

The STARSTREAK High Velocity Missile (HVM) was developed by Thales Air Defence (formerly Shorts Missile Systems) to provide a highly effective, short-range air defense solution against fast-moving aerial targets, such as aircraft and helicopters. Unlike conventional missiles that rely on impact or proximity detonation, the STARSTREAK uses a unique system of three submunitions known as “darts,” which significantly increases the probability of a kill by dispersing kinetic energy upon impact. The missile system is renowned for its speed, accuracy, and effectiveness against both conventional and evasive maneuvers by enemy aircraft.

STARSTREAK Design and Features

• Launch System: The STARSTREAK missile can be launched from various platforms, including the Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML), shoulder launchers, and vehicle-mounted systems like the Stormer HVM. The flexibility of deployment enhances its operational versatility in different combat scenarios.
• Missile Design: The STARSTREAK missile comprises a two-stage solid-fuel rocket motor. Upon launch, the missile accelerates to more than Mach 3, making it one of the fastest short-range air defense missiles in existence. It features a main missile body with three dart-like submunitions that separate during flight.
• Submunitions (Darts): Each dart is made of a tungsten alloy, equipped with a small warhead and an impact fuse. These darts are guided independently using laser beam riding, providing precise targeting and minimal risk of countermeasures interference.
• Guidance System: The missile uses a semi-automatic line-of-sight (SACLOS) laser beam riding guidance system. The operator keeps the crosshairs on the target, and the missile follows a laser beam projected from the launcher to the target. This method of guidance is highly resistant to jamming and countermeasures.
• Warhead: Instead of a traditional single warhead, STARSTREAK’s three darts individually impact the target, ensuring a higher probability of kill and maximizing damage to critical components such as engines or cockpits.

Performance and Capabilities of the STARSTREAK HVM

• Speed: The missile accelerates to over Mach 3, making it one of the fastest short-range air defense systems. This high speed reduces the engagement time and increases the likelihood of intercepting fast-moving targets.
• Range: The effective engagement range of the STARSTREAK missile is approximately 7 kilometers. This allows it to defend against aircraft and helicopters within close proximity to friendly forces or high-value assets.
• Accuracy: The laser beam riding guidance system provides a high level of precision, allowing the darts to strike specific, vulnerable parts of the target.
• Resistance to Countermeasures: The laser beam riding system is not easily disrupted by flares or other traditional countermeasures, making STARSTREAK effective against a wide range of targets.

Deployment and Operational Use

• Man-Portable Systems: STARSTREAK can be shoulder-launched by a single operator, providing rapid-response air defense for mobile infantry units. The Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML) version can be mounted on tripods or vehicles for enhanced flexibility.
• Vehicle-Mounted Systems: The Stormer HVM vehicle integrates the STARSTREAK system on a tracked, armored vehicle, offering increased mobility, protection, and the ability to carry multiple missiles.
• Combat Use: STARSTREAK has been deployed by the British Army and several other nations. It has been used in various operational environments, including counter-insurgency operations where air superiority needed to be maintained in the presence of low-altitude threats.

Variants of the STARSTREAK High Velocity Missile

• STARSTREAK II: An upgraded version with improved performance and extended range capabilities, further enhancing the missile’s effectiveness against modern threats.
• Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM): A derivative of STARSTREAK designed for use against both aerial and surface targets, such as drones and light vehicles.

Starstreak MANPADS Specifications