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

World

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

Allies have sent thousands of portable anti-aircraft systems to forces fighting Russia

Robert Tollast
Robert Tollast

March 10, 2022

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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.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Updated: March 10, 2022, 11:05 AM
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