Thales Lightweight Multirole Missile

Mercurius Cantabrigiensis

Mercurius Cantabrigiensis

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Thales Air Defence - the company that was formerly Shorts - is about to announce a new missile programme. Known as the Lightweight Multi-Role Missile, it is apparently intended to take the company beyond its traditional field of light SAM systems. Details will be officially released on 2 June.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

Thales (nee Short)has been marketing its Starstreak SAM as a multi-role weapon with an anti-armor capability for some time. I would not be surprised if this "new" weapon turns out to be essentially Starstreak II, possibly with a unitary warhead instead of the three darts of the anti-aircraft version. That would eliminate a potential collateral damage issue, since Starstreak anticipates hits from only one or two darts.

http://www.janes.com/events/exhibitions/dsei2007/sections/daily/day1/starstreak-ii-sighted.shtml

http://www.army-guide.com/eng/article/article.php?forumID=246

Edit: I see the initial press reports are out now:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/06/02/224303/thales-reveals-new-lightweight-missile-for-uavs-helicopters.html

and

http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/default.aspx?Action=-187126550&ID=cf5a5f51-1e4e-414a-b6a8-32d560861e99

Sounds like more or less what I expected: the Starburst tail section with a 3kg HE warhead up front. Range is c. 8 km with a sped of about Mach 1.5.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

Some pics
From defense update

lmm_missile.jpg


From defensenews, a proposed septuple launcher for the Wildcat:

061709dn_lynxhelo_315.JPG


What is so amazing about this lightweight missile is the multiple ways it can be used, guided and launched. Guidance ( also from defensenews):

The weapon currently uses laser beam riding for guidance but Hill says work is under way in France on a low-cost, semi-active laser solution.

Production costs would have to be reduced to a few thousand pounds to make the semi-active laser an attractive proposition, but Thales officials say they would eventually like to see both laser guidance systems fitted to production missiles if possible.

An LMM with INS/GPS is another guidance option being considered. The weapon carries a blast fragmentation/shaped charge warhead weighing 3 kilograms. A modular warhead design is another possible option for the missile.
Click to expand...

French magazine RAIDS claims that Thales would like to include all these forms of guidance in one seeker. I highly doubt if that is feasible.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

Is it just me or does the upper Lynx appear to have a Longbow type radar above its rotor head?
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

JohnR said:
Is it just me or does the upper Lynx appear to have a Longbow type radar above its rotor head?
Click to expand...

That second helicopter in the picture is an Apache not a Lynx.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

At DSEi this year there was a 30mm gun mounting for a warship mounting by MSI Defence systems with a package of these missiles in a similar configuration to the one shown on the helos in the graphic above. They were in line with the gun barrel and appeared to be aimed at small surface targets.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

Abraham Gubler said:
JohnR said:
Is it just me or does the upper Lynx appear to have a Longbow type radar above its rotor head?
Click to expand...

That second helicopter in the picture is an Apache not a Lynx.
Click to expand...

So it is, teach me to be on the internet after midnight ::).

Regards.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

sealordlawrence said:
At DSEi this year there was a 30mm gun mounting for a warship mounting by MSI Defence systems with a package of these missiles in a similar configuration to the one shown on the helos in the graphic above. They were in line with the gun barrel and appeared to be aimed at small surface targets.
Click to expand...

MSI Defence had previous revealed a 30mm gun with a 19 round 70mm rocket pod.
 
Re: New UK missile by Thales

I don't have the leaflets from DSEi to hand, but the condensed info I stuck on our database says of the MSI Seahawk gun mount derivatives:

"# An advanced option exists, called SIGMA (Stabilied Integrated Gun Missile Array). This is based on the Remote, A1 or A2 options with the addition of on-mount short range missiles.
# Missile options:

* Thales Lightweight Multirole Missile x 7 - mount also carries the laser fire control unit,
* MBDA Mistral x 3 (IR guidance),
* An unguided rocket pod option has also been proposed.

Sources:
* MSI and Thales product information leaflets.
* Jane's Naval Weapon Systems, Issue 49."

LMM has been associated with the Sea Skua replacement Future Air to Surface Guided Weapon programme, with an IR guided Sea Skua 2 as a the "heavy" component of a two missile system. There's a picture and info here:

http://defense-update.com/products/f/fasgw.html

LMM has also been test fired from a static BAE Fury UAV, paper here:

http://www.baesystems.com/BAEProd/groups/public/documents/bae_publication/bae_pdf_cc_fury_uav_paper.pdf

In addition to LMM, DSEi also saw the display of Starstreak 2 - an updated missile with changes to improve effectiveness against targets such as UAVs. Ironically.

RP1
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPNR2sWR-IQ

Looks interesting.
 
lastdingo said:
So LMM is pretty much like ADATS, though too slow for chasing most fixed wings.

Why again should it be more successful?
Click to expand...

It fits in the launcher for Starstreak HVM, but is better suited for attacking soft targets.
It's cheaper than HVM or Javelin too.
 
lastdingo said:
It's unlikely that this thing is cheaper than Starstreak, as this was really cheap for a ManPADS.
Click to expand...

Why not? LMM is basically the Starstreak motor with a unitary warhead instead of the multiple darts.
 
Last edited:
www.spacewar.com

UK to supply Ukraine with hundreds of new missiles

London (AFP) Sept 5, 2024 - The UK will send Ukraine 650 new specialist missile systems to boost its air defences, London said Friday, weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the pace of weapons deliveries.
www.spacewar.com

The first batch of the "Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM)" systems -- made by French defence group Thales -- were set to be dispatched by the end of the year, the government said, as it bids to "speed up deliveries of aid".
Click to expand...
 

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