UK MoD orders additional Thales StarStreak missiles
Thales UK will supply an additional 200 StarStreak short-range surface-to-air missiles to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) under a contract announced on 11 October.
The StarStreak missile is a key component of the UK’s Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) capability. According to Thales, this order will increase StarStreak stocks as part of the MoD’s transformation agenda for the armed forces, Force 2020, to equip both the regular and reserve forces with the StarStreak systems.
The contract was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in a speech to the Northern Ireland Investment Conference in Belfast.
Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, said: ‘We saw during the Olympics last year how important our air defence capability is. This contract for 200 extra StarStreak missiles will not only provide our armed forces with a highly capable weapon, but it also secures hundreds of highly skilled defence jobs in Northern Ireland and should provide confidence to the export markets of the StarStreak system.’
David Beatty, managing director, Thales in Belfast, added: ‘Not only will this contract sustain jobs at our facilities in Northern Ireland, but it also demonstrates very clearly to our export customers the ongoing importance and trust that the UK MoD places in the StarStreak system and our design, manufacturing and support capabilities.’
The StarStreak missile systems, and its Air Defence Alerting Device, contributed to the security of the London 2012 Olympic Games when they were deployed by the British Army at key London locations during the event.
More from Land Warfare
-
Lockheed Martin signs Australian air and missile defence system deal
Air 6500 Phase 1, worth AU$500 million (US$326 million), will result in a sovereign system that can provide greater situational awareness and help to defend against hostile aircraft and missiles. It will sit at the core of Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence programme.
-
Rheinmetall wins communications deal that could be worth up to €400 million
The systems have been purchased under a special fund which has already been tapped into for the purchase of 60 CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters worth up to €8 billion (US$8.7 billion) and thousands of Rheinmetall Caracal airmobile special operations vehicles worth €1.9 billion.
-
Italy weighs up the challenge of its tank replacement plans
The Russia–Ukraine war has continued to be the place the world’s militaries have been watching for lessons on both the EW and uncrewed front. Its conventional war aspect, however, has also been catching the attention of leaders.
-
The Philippines looks to Israel for military equipment amid South China Sea tensions
The southeast Asian country has been enhancing its military readiness by procuring advanced Israeli defence platforms and systems.
-
NSPA signs new helmet system deal and agreement for C-UAS systems
The Caiman helmet has been designed to be scalable for dynamic operations with mission-specific accessories and can incorporate electronics, communications headsets and other critical equipment.
-
US Missile Defense Agency’s budget could be cut by $2.6 billion over the next three years
The reduction would impact several acquisition and development programmes, creating capabilities gaps in US missile defence architecture.