Starburst (missile)


Starburst is a British man-portable surface-to-air missile produced by Shorts Missile Systems of Belfast. It was used by the British Army, Malaysian Army, and in the Canadian Army as the Javelin until 2005. 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 guidance 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

;: Kuwait Air Force
;: Malaysian Army: To be replaced by the Starstreak.
;: British Army: Replaced by Starstreak.