UK just made Ukraine’s skies a much deadlier place for Putin’s pilots

UK-made missiles from Belfast streaking to Ukraine to defend its airspace

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2022

Ukraine’s desperate plea for air cover denied, but UK supplies potent weapons against Putin’s planes

On a daily basis President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has been pleading for a no-fly zone to be enforced over his country, to prevent the indiscriminate bombing of his people by Putin’s air forces.

Yesterday NATO Defence Ministers met in Brussels for an emergency meeting to discuss the illegal Russian war. The UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, played a key role.

Mr Wallace announced after the meeting that the UK would be providing Starstreak, a high velocity anti-aircraft missile system, which complements the other military aid provided by the UK Armed Forces, including over 4,000 anti-tank missiles.

Photo credit: Thales Defence Systmes Ltd

What is Belfast’s Starstreak and what can it do?

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Starstreak - Belfast-built and designed in the UK

Photo credit: Thales Defence Systems Ltd

Designed by British Aerospace and now manufactured in Belfast by Thales UK, Starstreak is the fastest missile in its class in the world.
This High Velocity Missile was designed to provide close air defence against conventional air threats, such as fixed wing fighters and pop up armoured helicopters.
A velocity of Mach 3+ (more than three times the speed of sound) makes it most effective when dealing with targets having a short exposure time.
It has three warheads with a range of 23,000ft (7,000m)
Laser beam guidance enables engagement and defeat of the smallest signature targets using robust guidance commands, even in a cluttered and countermeasure rich environment.
The missiles weigh just 14kg and can be hand-launched by troops on the ground, or systems can be fitted to vehicles, helicopters or naval vessels.
It can be hand-launched because the system starts with enough explosive power to propel the missile several metres away from the operator, before the main propulsion system then engages and powers the missile at extraordinary speed towards its target.

UK once again steps up to the plate, with effective defensive weapons for Ukraine

In short, this missile system represents a very potent threat to Putin’s pilots who are busy bombing residential areas, maternity hospitals, and schools.

NATO countries are unwilling to supply air cover and enforce a no-fly zone, as this would mean RAF fighter pilots being in direct combat with Russian MiGs, which would lead to a serious escalation.

Instead, the United Kingdom is providing the next best thing – an air defence capability which is likely to make Russian fighter and helicopter pilots think very carefully before they wreak further havoc in Ukraine.

"We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons, but will allow the Ukrainian forces to better defend their skies.
"We shall also be increasing supplies of rations, medical equipment, and other non-lethal military aid."
- Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Defence Secretary, House of Commons

Who will train Ukrainian troops?

Starstreak is a sophisticated weapon system. As with all such systems, troops need to be trained to use it. Naturally for security reasons the Ministry of Defence has said nothing about this, nor about the timing of its first deployment on Ukrainian soil.

As with all our reports on defence matters, Facts4EU.Org does not report or comment on specific extra information we might have or speculation which might be helpful to foreign powers.

Observations

The broadcast media (BBC, Sky News, ITV, Channel 4) is still obsessed with ‘human interest’ stories about how refugees are being processed for visa applications.

Whilst this is one part of the whole, a war is raging in real-time in Ukraine. On the ground Ukrainians are fighting a desperate battle for their homeland.

What the United Kingdom has now done in providing this cutting-edge anti-aircraft missile system is highly significant. Once again an independent UK - freed from the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy – has shown what it’s capable of.

It is important to note that this system is manufactured in Northern Ireland. Yet another reason to condemn the EU's disastrous N.I. Protocol to history and bring Northern Ireland back fully as part of the United Kingdom.

Brexit Britain: No requirement to secure the approval of 27 other countries. Just action. Now. When Ukraine needs it.

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[ Sources: MoD | NATO ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 17 Mar 2022

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Reader Comments 6

1. Not4EU, London , Thursday, March 17, 2022, 08:18:

In breaking news, the letters A, I, N, P, R, S, T & U will be henceforth banned from our alphabet, to prevent people making the words Putin or Russia. These measures and other diktats, outlawing any questioning or rational analysis of events in corrupt countries will be included in a 'new' emergency powers Bill (war-footing) granting ourselves even more dictatorial powers, to replace the previous 'emergency powers' sunsetting in a couple of weeks. You didn't really think that we'd repeal it sooner unless forced to did you? It's a great money spinner for us and our mates. If the 'war-footing' doesn't work out, we have the emergency powers for 'climate change' in the wings.
The absolute lockstep change from unquestioning acceptance of genetic experimentation to unquestioning support of a country that has been killing its own citizens since 2014 and which honours nazi sympathizers (Bandera) has been a sight to behold.
Other successes are:
The annexation of N Ireland - memory-holed.
Leaving the EU and being independent - forgotten.
Profiteering from a manufactured 'pandemic' - memory-holed.
Deaths of elderly in care (to provide the 'first wave') by overuse of Midazolam - forgotten.
'Vaccine' deaths & damage - memory-holed despite Pfizer's own documentation.
The reframing of what 'democracy' means - successful.
N.Korea style public adulation of anything we say - successful. All critical thinking in positions of power has been eliminated. Much thanks for their devotion to propaganda must go to the MSM.
Our dear leader Blair, oops sorry Johnson, will continue his destruction of our country & its economy. We must unquestioningly praise him. He says Putin man bad, Zelensky saint. First one to stop clapping will be executed. Onwards Comrades.

2. jon livesey , Thursday, March 17, 2022, 16:39:

I hope no-one minds me commenting on the actual topic of the blog entry, but there is an possibly interesting point to be made about Starstreak and NLAW., The reason we have these weapons to give to Ukraine is that these are the equipment we were going to use in the case of a Russian invasion of Western Europe. USSR/Russia always churned out huge numbers of tanks and planes and there was no point in the West trying to match their production numbers, so instead NATO always went for effective infantry anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.
And it is safe to donate them to Ukraine, because a Russian tank or plane destroyed there isn't available to threaten the rest of Europe. In other words, as long as an NLAW destroys a Russian tank and a Starstreak brings down a Russian plane, it doesn't really matter who pulls the trigger.
In other news, I read that four Russian logistics ships filled with military equipment from Russia's far east are now headed back to Europe, which if true would indicate that the attrition of Russian forces in Ukraine is a real thing. At some point the Russian military can't handle Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the defence of Russia all at the same time, which may be something to ponder.

3. Simon Kynman , Thursday, March 17, 2022, 18:11:

Dont expect any help from the useless EU! British military helping train Ukraine military since 2015, whilst the EU continues to pump billions into Putin's war!

4. Ashley Great Britain , Friday, March 18, 2022, 11:42:

This is great assistance to the Ukrainian army and it took Great Britain to do it.
I just hope the EU will allow us to export starstreak out of Northern Ireland.

5. Mark , Friday, March 18, 2022, 13:02:

Good to see Brexit Britain leading the West against Russia’s military aggression.

6. Adam , Friday, March 18, 2022, 16:43:

I do hope My fellow Britons wake up and remove bumbling Boris Johnson now and the gormless Red Tory Keir Starmer who just nods along with this odious Government I am a proud Brexiteer but since June 2019 when Johnson replaced the hapless Theresa May things have not improved We still have the EU trying a Putin- esque annexisation of a part of the UK Northern Ireland egged on by the old Man in the White House and Nasty Pelosi which is none of their damn business, Johnson and the smug Bankers puppet Rishi Sunak who smirk and do nothing about the rise of the cost of living, We need to wise up and kick the 3 old parties out of office refund the BBC, keep out of Ukraine, put an end to the covid nannies

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