Starstreak
| Starstreak | |
|---|---|
A British Royal Artillery soldier protects an airfield with a man-portable Starstreak HVM system | |
| Type | Man-portable/Vehicle-mounted surface-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1997–present |
| Used by | See § Operators |
| Wars | Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1980s |
| Manufacturer | Thales Air Defence |
| Produced | November 1986 |
| No. built | 7,000 |
| Variants | See § Variants |
| Specifications (Starstreak High Velocity Missile) | |
| Mass | 14 kg (31 lb) |
| Length | 1.397 m (4 ft 7 in) |
| Diameter | 13 cm (5.1 in) |
| Effective firing range | Starstreak: 0.3–7 km (0.186–4.35 mi) Starstreak-II: >7 km (4.35 mi) |
| Warhead | Three explosive sub-munitions - 'Darts' |
| Warhead weight | Three 0.9 kg (2.0 lb) Tungsten-alloy Darts, 450 g (16 oz) PBX-98/Dart |
Detonation mechanism | Impact delay |
| Engine | First stage: Royal Ordnance 'Brambling' cast double-based propellant blip rocket motor Second stage: Royal Ordnance 'Titus' cast double-based propellant |
| Flight ceiling | 7 km (22,966 ft) |
| Maximum speed | >Mach 3 |
Guidance system | SACLOS, Laser-beam guidance |
Starstreak is a British short-range surface-to-air missile that can be used as a man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) or used in heavier systems. It is manufactured by Thales Air Defence (formerly Shorts Missile Systems) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is also known as Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile). After launch, the missile accelerates to more than Mach 4, making it the fastest short-range surface-to-air missile in existence. It then launches three laser beam-riding submunitions, increasing the likelihood of a successful hit on the target. Starstreak has been in service with the British Army since 1997. In 2012 Thales relaunched the system as ForceSHIELD.