British SAM Stormer HVM for the Ukrainian army
SAM Stormer HVM on exercises, 2005
It became known that the UK plans to send a number of Stormer HVM anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. With the help of such equipment, it is planned to strengthen the military air defense of the Ukrainian army and help it fight the Russian aviation. However, such assistance has a number of objective limitations, and its real effect is unlikely to suit the Kiev authorities.
According to the press
On April 18, The Sun reported on the new British assistance for Ukraine in the field of air defense. It cites unnamed sources in the UK and provides a number of interesting facts. Very bold assessments and forecasts are also made, which may not correspond to reality.
The Sun claims that two weeks ago, the British Ministry of Defense received a delegation from the Ukrainian army and showed them a modern weapon. At the Salisbury Plain training ground, the guests were shown the Stormer HVM self-propelled air defense system, which is in service with the British army. It was decided to transfer such equipment to Ukraine from the fleet of its own parts.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace will reportedly address Parliament this week and formally announce the dispatch of the SAM. Then, within a few days, they can be loaded onto military transport aircraft and sent to the customer. It is assumed that, together with dozens of other armored vehicles from the UK, Stormer HVM systems will significantly affect the combat capability of the Ukrainian army.
The Sun writes only about plans and preparations for the supply of British air defense systems to Ukraine, but does not provide any details. In particular, the volumes of deliveries, the timing of the transfer of equipment, etc. were not named. In addition, there is no official confirmation of such information - although it fits into the logic of London's actions in recent weeks.
British Stormtrooper
History The Stormer HVM air defense system dates back to the mid-seventies, when the British Ministry of Defense placed an order for the development of a promising armored personnel carrier. The work on the project with the designation FV4333 and the name Stormer ("Stormtrooper") was entrusted to Alvis Vickers. According to the terms of the customer, the new armored personnel carrier was supposed to use the components and assemblies of a serial light tank FV101 Scorpion.
In the late seventies, development was completed and a prototype was built. In 1980-81. he passed all the tests, and the Sturmovik was put into service and put into serial production. The development of various modifications of the armored personnel carrier and new equipment based on it immediately began. First of all, carriers of specialized weapons were worked out.
In 1986, an order appeared for the development of a self-propelled military air defense air defense system with short-range light missiles. This version of the armored vehicle received the designation Stormer HVM (High Velocity Missile - “High-speed missile”). Despite the certain simplicity of such a project, the development was delayed. The tests were completed only in the mid-nineties, and in 1997 the army received the first air defense systems.
Launcher, rear view
For various reasons, the Stormer armored personnel carrier and equipment based on it were not built in a large series. In total, about 220 units were produced. Several dozen tracked chassis received anti-aircraft missiles and related equipment. According to The Military Balance, the British Army currently has 60 Stormer HVM air defense systems. This technique is still serviceable, but its age is constantly growing, and the resource is declining. Reportedly, now such equipment can be transferred to Ukraine.
From ready-made components
The Stormer HVM product is a self-propelled air defense system on a tracked chassis, designed for military air defense of the near zone. To simplify and speed up development, the project was made with extensive use of ready-made components, and only individual elements were re-created.
The FV4333 chassis has a welded armor hull with anti-bullet and anti-fragmentation protection. A Perkins T6 3544 diesel engine with an HP 250 power is placed in the front compartment of the hull. and mechanical transmission with the issuance of torque to the front drive wheels. Chassis - six-roller with torsion bar suspension.
On the roof of the Stormer HVM hull, a specially designed launcher with a turntable and two oscillating packages for missile containers is mounted. The design of the installation and its instruments ensures the launch of missiles in any direction with different elevation angles.
The air defense system also has an optical-electronic station, and two options were used. The first one is large and is made in a separate case, which is located on the roof of the car. The second ECO is made in the form of a compact "ball" and is located on the launcher.
Hull interior, view through the aft door
As a weapon, the Sturmovik uses a modified Starstreak MANPADS. The launcher accommodates eight TPKs with missiles of this type. Instead of a portable control unit, the OES and equipment inside the armored hull are used. At the same time, the principles of operation of the complex have not fundamentally changed.
The Starstreak missile has a sustainer stage with a solid propellant engine and a combat stage in the form of three separate homing submunitions. Each such element is a tungsten "dart" with a penetrating and fragmentation effect. The length of the rocket in the launch configuration is 1,4 m, weight is 14 kg. The combat element weighs 900 g. The maximum speed of the "darts" exceeds 3M. Flight range, depending on modification, 5-7 km.
Guidance of combat elements is carried out in a semi-automatic mode according to the principle of flight along the beam. The OES of the complex accompanies the target and directs a control laser beam at it. Elements are held in it and fly to the target. In the case of the Stormer HVM, unlike the basic MANPADS, part of the missile guidance operations are transferred to automation.
The Stormer HVM launcher has eight missiles - four in two packages. Another 12 are stored in the aft compartment of the hull. The installation is reloaded manually. The removal of empty TPKs and the installation of new ones take several minutes and are carried out by the crew.
Auxiliary armament of the Sturmovik includes two sets of smoke grenade launchers and the crew's personal weapons. In addition, there is a regular Starstreak MANPADS launcher on board. If necessary, it can be used with TPK and missiles from the general ammunition.
Start of a rocket
SAM Stormer HVM is controlled by a crew of three. The length of the vehicle is 5,6 m, the height is 3,4 m, the combat weight is 13,7 tons. On the highway, the vehicle develops a speed of 80 km / h and shows a cruising range of 600 km. Provided high mobility on land. Reservoirs are crossed only by fords.
Expected Problems
In the current situation, Ukraine is interested in obtaining any weapons and military equipment. However, such foreign assistance as a whole cannot change its situation - and the British Stormer HVM air defense systems will not be an exception. A number of objective factors will not allow the Ukrainian army to effectively use such equipment and obtain the desired results.
First of all, the lack of equipment will become a problem. The UK has only 60 complexes, and it is unlikely that all of them will go to Ukraine. At the same time, even 50-60 combat vehicles will not be able to affect the state of Ukrainian air defense. All of them will be quickly demilitarized by Russian strikes - as it has already been with a large number of Ukrainian own air defense systems.
A significant problem can be the age of technology. It is unlikely that the UK will give the newest cars, and the oldest samples were built in the second half of the nineties. In what condition they are and whether they meet the requirements is unknown.
Unlike a number of other foreign models, Stormer HVM will cause only limited difficulties in the field of crew training. The air defense system uses Starstreak missiles, already known to the Ukrainian army, which will speed up the training of operators. At the same time, full training of drivers and technical staff will be required. However, you can save money on the latter - the equipment is unlikely to have time to survive before maintenance or repair.
The actual combat qualities and capabilities of the Stormer HVM are questionable. The Ukrainian army has been using the British Starstreak MANPADS for several weeks, but their effectiveness remains extremely low. This is due both to objective technical limitations and to the specifics of the personnel. The installation of MANPADS on a self-propelled chassis provides certain advantages, but it is unlikely that the Ukrainian army will be able to implement them and get a different result.
It should be noted that the Stormer HVM systems will have to work in conditions of complete air supremacy of Russian aviation. At the same time, our planes and helicopters have all the necessary means of reconnaissance and weapons with sufficient range, which will allow them to detect and hit British air defense systems in a timely manner. There is every reason to believe that all "Stormtroopers" in a limited time will be destroyed or taken as trophies.
Doubtful help
Thus, the British Stormer HVM air defense systems will not bring much benefit to the Ukrainian army. Their number is insufficient, the technical condition is unknown, and the combat value is ambiguous. At the same time, the current situation contributes to the rapid loss of equipment, which exacerbates all other problems.
Great Britain in such a situation gets the opportunity to once again support the friendly Kiev regime, as well as get rid of not the newest and most successful model of equipment. Also, London may still be planning to advertise its Starstreak portable and self-propelled products. The UK is counting on political and commercial benefits. And this allows her to ignore the lack of benefit or potential problems for Kyiv.
Information