Britain to send 3,000mph Starstreak missiles to Saudi Arabia even as Ukraine begs for weapons to shoot down Russian jets

BRITAIN is sending Starstreak missiles to defend oil-rich Saudi Arabia – as Ukraine cries out for more of the same to shoot down Russian jets and drones. The Sun revealed secret plans to bolster Riyadh’s air defences were drawn up by Top Brass last year. Britain is planning to send Starstreak missiles to defend Saudi Arabia A laser beam guides rockets to the target at over three times the speed of sound Troops armed with Stormer light tanks and the world’s fastest surface to air missiles will swoop into the desert kingdom, despite human rights concerns. Their comrades deployed in secret with early-warning radars after a spate of drone attacks by Iran-backed rebels cut oil production in 2019. Gunners from the Royal Artillery brought Giraffe anti-aircraft radars but they did not deploy with missiles. A defence source said the arrival of Starstreak anti-aircraft weapons would bring “a significant change in capability”. read more on missiles SINKING FEELING Russia fits ships with anti-air defences in fear of Brit Harpoon missiles WIPED OUT Vid shows what it looks like to be hit by missile as Russia blasts drone out sky The missile launchers are mounted on all-terrain Alvis Stormers, 13-ton tracked light tanks which can reach 50mph. A source said: “The Saudis want us there because they like the UK standing with them.” High-tech Starstreak missiles can hit targets the size of a tennis ball travelling at the speed of sound. They zoom at over three times the speed of sound and and split into three darts to puncture armour before warheads detonate. Most read in News STRUCK OFF Teacher sacked after pupils pose TOPLESS during ‘inappropriate’ lesson LAST OF THE SUMMER WHINE Moment raging shopworker smashes hundreds of bottles of wine PLANE RIDDLE Mystery plane crossed 6 NATO countries scrambling fighter jets then vanishing HOLEY HELL My neighbour DRILLED HOLES in our wall saying it creeps 2 inches into his garden PLANE CRAZY 100s of migrants cross Channel after secret European judge blocks Rwanda flight ASBONK My landlord gave me a noise warning for romping too loudly with my man The Belfast-made missiles can be shoulder-launched or mounted on a vehicle. They are not “fire-and-forget” missiles like some other anti-aircraft systems. Instead they are guided to targets by an operator on the ground, which makes them lethally immune to counter measures. Gunners from 16 Regiment Royal Artillery flew out to Riyadh in Feb 2020 on what was originally supposed to be a short term mission. They will be replaced by soldiers from their sister regiment 12 Royal Artillery, based on Thorney Island, Hants. At first the deployment was kept under wraps as Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman was accused of killing thousands of civilians in the war in neighbouring Yemen. The CIA also said he ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was cut up with bone saws in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. In March Britain said it was sending Stormers and Starstreaks to help Ukrainian forces repel Russian invaders. Dramatic footage showed them using a Starstreak to take down a Russian Mi-28N chopper over Luhansk in April. Read More on The Sun True blue Primark fans go wild as viral £6 shorts and crop top sets come out in new colours ROUND THE BEND We moved into newbuild home - but have to do 30-MIN U-turn to leave estate Ukraine is now calling for more of those and other weapons to take on Putin’s war machine. And it wants the West to send modern long-range artillery as it is now heavily outgunned in the fight for the Donbas region. The Starstreak is the fastest surface-to-air missile in the world One was used to shoot down a Russian helicopter over Ukraine in April We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun news desk? Email us at exclusive@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4104. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.