Britain bolsters Ukrainian defence with 5,000 LMM missiles
5,000 LMM anti-aircraft missiles alongside RapidRanger launchers are included in the latest package of British aid for Ukraine. The United Kingdom will not only provide equipment valued at £1.80 billion but also technology that enables Ukraine to produce missile components independently.
The British aid concerns one of the most modern weapons systems – the LMM (Lightweight Multirole Missile – lightweight multirole missile), which was developed to replace the Starstreak HVM anti-aircraft missiles that were also supplied to Ukraine.
Apart from its military significance, aid to Ukraine is also essential for the British defence industry. As noted by Defence 24, the decision to supply Ukraine with 5,000 missiles ensures that Thales plants in Belfast will maintain their current workforce of 700 people and employ an additional 200 workers.
Initially, the LMM missiles were integrated (under the name Martlet) with the British Royal Navy's AW159 Lynx Wildcat AH.1 helicopters. Over time, a ground variant was also implemented. The new weapon recently achieved operational readiness in 2021. Smaller batches of LMM missiles had previously been delivered to Ukraine, where they demonstrated effectiveness in destroying Russian helicopters, among other tasks.
LMM missiles for Ukraine
The LMM missiles can be launched from the same launchers as the older Starstreak missiles. Due to the lightweight nature of the entire set, it can be used in both stationary and mobile forms, when mounted on various types of light carriers, such as off-road vehicles. The manufacturer, Thales Group, also provides for the possibility of integrating the missile with unmanned aerial vehicles.
The LMM has a diameter of 8 centimetres, a length of 1.3 metres, and weighs 13 kilograms, of which about 3 kilograms is attributed to the warhead. As its name suggests, the LMM is a versatile missile. Unlike the Starstreak missile, which requires a direct hit by one of the three carried "darts" to destroy a target, the LMM is equipped with a warhead with a proximity fuze capable of operating in both fragmentation and shaped charge modes.
This feature allows the missile to be used against aerial, land, or sea targets. WP journalist Przemysław Juraszek notes that "its warhead also allows for attacking lightly armoured vehicles, such as the BMP-2 or patrol boats."
Laser-guided missile
An important feature of the LMM is its guidance method — the missile is directed towards a target illuminated by the shooter with a laser designator. The advantage of this system is its immunity to electronic warfare measures or flares used by aircraft or helicopters to disrupt heat-seeking missiles.
The downside of this guidance method is its susceptibility to interference caused by, for example, dense smoke, as well as the requirement for the shooter to maintain the designator on the target throughout the missile's flight.
