Starburst (missile)

Starburst is a British man-portable surface-to-air missile produced by Shorts Missile Systems of Belfast (since 2002 known as Thales Air Defence Limited). It was used by the British Army (as Javelin S15), Malaysian Army, and in the Canadian Army as the Javelin. It can be fired from the shoulder or from a launcher known as Starburst LML – Lightweight Multiple Launcher.

It has been replaced in British service by the Starstreak missile.

Development

The missile was a development of Javelin missile, retaining the Javelin missile body but replacing the radio command system with a laser transmission system. This is much more difficult to jam than the radio based system. It entered service in 1990 and replaced the Javelin by 1993. In 1992 the proximity fuze was improved. Starburst was first used in combat in the 1991 Gulf War.

Variants

• Starburst LML (Lightweight multiple launcher)
• Starburst VML (Vehicle multiple launcher)
• Starburst NML (Naval multiple launcher)
• Starburst starlite thermal imager
• Starburst SR2000

Operators

Map with Starburst operators in blue

A Malaysian Starburst MANPADS held by a soldier during an exhibition.

Current operators

 Canada

Canadian Army

 Kuwait

Kuwait Air Force

 Malaysia

Malaysian Army

 United Kingdom

British Army

 Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Army

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Starburst.

References

• Jane's Land-Based Air Defence 2005–2006, ISBN 0-7106-2697-5

Guided missiles of the United Kingdom Air-to-air ASRAAM Fireflash Firestreak Red Dean Red Top SRAAM/Taildog Skyflash Air-to-surface ALARM Brimstone Lightweight Multirole Missile Martel1 Sea Eagle Sea Skua Storm Shadow1 Sea Venom1 Surface-to-air Bloodhound Blowpipe CAMM Javelin Rapier Sea Cat Sea Dart Sea Slug Sea Viper Sea Wolf Starburst Starstreak Tigercat Thunderbird Surface-to-surface Swingfire Malkara2 UB.109T Vigilant Nuclear Blue Steel Blue Streak Blue Water Green Cheese 1 Anglo-French   2 Anglo-Australian