Starstreak hits target

A delegation from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently witnessed the first demonstration of the latest variant of Thales UK’s self-propelled Starstreak missile system.

The Starstreak II missile, which destroyed an unmanned Banshee target drone at the Manorbier Range in south Wales, now incorporates automatic target tracking (ATT) and new control consoles.

According to Thales, the incorporation of ATT technology into the weapon system architecture contributes to improved accuracy and performance. It also reduces the training time required for the operators and significantly reduces the workload of the system operator.

The enhancements to the Starstreak missile mean that the range is extended to beyond 7km and the increased coverage, altitude and guidance precision make it ideally suited to destroy small targets. The upgraded launcher and missile is planned to enter service at the end of 2010.