A Starstreak high velocity missile, a surface-to-air system that Britain could supply to Ukraine. PA
A Starstreak high velocity missile, a surface-to-air system that Britain could supply to Ukraine. PA
A Starstreak high velocity missile, a surface-to-air system that Britain could supply to Ukraine. PA
A Starstreak high velocity missile, a surface-to-air system that Britain could supply to Ukraine. PA

What are Starstreak 'laser riding' missiles and how could they help Ukraine?


Robert Tollast
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

The UK is considering sending Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles to Ukrainian forces trying to fend off the Russian attack.

“We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons but will allow the defending force to better defend the skies,” UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace said on Wednesday.

What are Starstreak missiles?

The missiles use a guidance system that could give them an edge over older anti-aircraft missiles that use infrared seeking technology.

The offer of the portable, short-range weapon is seen as significant, because it relies on a laser beam riding guidance system.

Most short-range anti-aircraft missiles are "heat-seeking" and can be sent off course by magnesium flares dropped by aircraft as a defence, although some modern heat-seeking systems can differentiate between engine heat and flare heat sources.

Ukraine has already received around 1,000 Stingers from the US, Germany and the Netherlands ― both systems are man-portable air defence systems, or Manpads.

How do Starstreak missiles compare to Singers?

The Starstreak is also incredibly fast, reaching a maximum velocity of three times the speed of sound, or Mach 3. That’s faster than the top speed of a Stinger anti-aircraft missile, which can travel at Mach 2.5.

  • US soldiers practise firing FIM-92 Stinger missiles. Photo: US Army
    US soldiers practise firing FIM-92 Stinger missiles. Photo: US Army
  • A Mexican soldier with a Russian-made SA-18 anti-aircraft missile launcher in 2011. AFP
    A Mexican soldier with a Russian-made SA-18 anti-aircraft missile launcher in 2011. AFP
  • A Ukrainian soldier takes part in an exercise using NLAW anti-aircraft missiles close to the city of Lviv. The UK has delivered 2,000 NLAWs to Ukraine. AP
    A Ukrainian soldier takes part in an exercise using NLAW anti-aircraft missiles close to the city of Lviv. The UK has delivered 2,000 NLAWs to Ukraine. AP
  • Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of a Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile) surface-to-air missile system on display.
    Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of a Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile) surface-to-air missile system on display.
  • Soldiers in Ukraine launch US Javelin missiles during a military exercise. AP
    Soldiers in Ukraine launch US Javelin missiles during a military exercise. AP
  • German troops hold Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons in a demonstration in Munster. Getty Images
    German troops hold Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons in a demonstration in Munster. Getty Images
  • A US Marine fires a M72 light anti-armour weapon during an exercise in Camp Fuji, Japan. Alamy
    A US Marine fires a M72 light anti-armour weapon during an exercise in Camp Fuji, Japan. Alamy
  • A Hezbollah militant aiming a Kornet anti-tank guided missile in southern Lebanon. AFP
    A Hezbollah militant aiming a Kornet anti-tank guided missile in southern Lebanon. AFP
  • Ukrainian soldiers with Stugna-P anti-tank weapons during a military exhibition in 2018. Getty Images
    Ukrainian soldiers with Stugna-P anti-tank weapons during a military exhibition in 2018. Getty Images

Both of those systems are slightly faster than the top speed at altitude of common Russian multirole jets such as the SU-35, although if the jets fly at medium altitude, they would be out of range of Manpads.

How could Starstreak missiles help Ukraine?

That might not be an option for Russian jets, however, because Ukraine still has functioning medium-range air defence systems.

That means one option for Russian jets is to fly low and fast — beyond the line of sight of medium-range systems — but that leaves them in danger of Manpads, which are optimised for fast, short-range encounters.

Starstreak missiles would be deadly for Russian helicopter pilots who, flying aircraft much slower than jets, would have little time to react in the event of a launch.

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals

To qualify automatically

UAE must beat Iraq.

Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

 

To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match

UAE must beat Iraq.

Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Understand What Black Is

The Last Poets

(Studio Rockers)

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETuhoon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYear%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFares%20Ghandour%2C%20Dr%20Naif%20Almutawa%2C%20Aymane%20Sennoussi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ehealth%20care%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%20employees%2C%20%24250%2C000%20in%20revenue%0D%3Cbr%3EI%3Cstrong%3Envestment%20stage%3A%20s%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Nuwa%20Capital%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Updated: March 10, 2022, 11:05 AM