Ukrainian STORMER HVM Downs 70 Russian Drones in Two-Year Span

The Ukrainian unit operating the British Stormer HVM anti-aircraft system has already managed to hit 70 air targets.

Soldiers of the 1129th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment say they have managed to do this in two years of full-scale war.

“I’ve been serving since 2022, and since then the unit has destroyed 70 drones: Zala, Supercam, Orlan-10, Orlan-30, Merlin-VR,” said the Stormer HVM operator.

In addition to the skill of the operators, this result was achieved thanks to the use of laser-guided anti-aircraft missiles, which, unlike missiles with an infrared seeker, do not need to lock on the target by thermal signature.

The British STORMER air defense system destroys targets day, night, and in any weather. It is armed with Starstreak missiles.

Each missile has three “arrows” that separate in the air and hit the target with fragments.

The STORMER can detect targets at a distance of 18 kilometers, with a kill range of 7 kilometers.

At the same time, the launchers of the British anti-aircraft system can accommodate eight Starstreak missiles, with a total of 12 missiles.

“The missile is effective against aircrafts, nothing interferes with it. If a helicopter uses flares, the missile is guided by a laser to the target,” the military says.

In addition to the Starstreak missile, there is the possibility of using Martlet missiles, which provide a range of up to 9 kilometers.

The Ukrainian military said that, on average, it takes about a month to master the British system.

The UK government announced the transfer of these systems to Ukraine in April 2022. Hundreds of Starstreak missiles have also been delivered for these systems.