April 2,
2008: Britain has upgraded the
electronics and guidance system for its short range Starstreak anti-aircraft
missile [PHOTO]. The 37 pound missile is fired from a sealed container, which is usually
mounted on a vehicle, ship or helicopter. There is also a shoulder launched
version. The missile rapidly accelerates to supersonic speed (nearly one
kilometer a second) and releases three warheads. Each of these weighs two
pounds and contains about a pound of explosives and a guidance system. The
maximum range of the system is seven kilometers, so the target only has a few
seconds to react. The warheads are meant to make a direct hit. At high speed,
and with a tungsten front end, the warheads are devastating even against armored
personnel carriers (but not tanks).
Starstreak
entered service in 1998, and was
originally mounted on about 280
vehicles, but that has been reduced to 210. Eight systems were exported to
South Africa, and the manufacturer has been trying to sell them to the U.S. for
use as anti-aircraft systems for the AH-64 helicopter gunship. Armored vehicles
carry an eight missile launcher, while unarmored vehicles carry a three missile
launcher (which can also be used separately from the vehicle.)
One
drawback of Starstreak is that it is laser guided, and requires a trained
operator to keep the missile on target. The upgraded Starstreak II has
automatic target tracking, which makes it easier for a less skilled operator to
score a hit.
