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Stormer HVM

1997 RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

History

The Stormer HVM (High Velocity Missile) is a short-range air defense system. It was primarily developed to counter the threat to armored forces from attack helicopters and low-altitude aircraft. This air defense system is in service with the British Army.

The first of 151 systems went into operation in 1997. The only export operator is Oman.

The air defense system is based on a modified chassis of the Alvis Stormer personnel carrier. It is equipped with Starstreak man-portable anti-aircraft missiles. The launcher and its aiming sensor are located on the back. The Starstreak rocket has a two-stage solid-fuel rocket motor that travels at more than three times the speed of sound (Mach 3.5).

Each missile contains three high-density darts with shock fuses and an exploding warhead capable of hitting the target multiple times. When the second stage of the engine burns out, the arrow is released. The rocket has a range of 1.5 - 5.5 km and can even counteract powerful low-altitude craft. Although recent Thales brochures state the missile has a range of more than 7 kilometers.

These missiles have an upper limit of 1,000m. Starstreak features semi-automatic line-of-sight laser guidance. The missile is guided to the target by the operator, who tracks the target using an optically stabilized sight.

Interestingly, Starstreak missiles are also effective against ground targets. It is estimated that the arrow has enough kinetic energy to penetrate the frontal armor of the armored personnel carrier.

The launcher stores 8 ready-to-launch missiles, and the fuselage can carry up to 12 loaded missiles. Some sources indicate that 8 heavy rockets were carried. Starstreak missiles are also fired from lightweight three-shot launchers and portable shoulder-fired launchers.

The vehicle is equipped with a roof-mounted panoramic weapon sight and anti-aircraft warning device for target detection and prioritization. It can detect aircraft at a distance of 18 kilometers and helicopters at a distance of 8 kilometers. The Stormer air defense system was able to intervene quickly.

It takes less than 5 seconds from target acquisition to missile launch. The system also has a high first-round hit probability.

The armor of the vehicle protects the occupants from small arms fire and artillery fragments. The vehicle is also equipped with the NBC protection system.

The air defense system has a crew of three, including the commander, operator and driver.

Vehicle is powered by a 250 hp Perkins turbo diesel engine. It seems that after some preparation, this missile carrier is amphibious.

UK Ministry of Defence sources say the Stormer, equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, has been phased out since 2009. Mainly because the threat of air strikes against Western forces has all but disappeared.