UK dispatches advanced Brimstone missiles to boost Ukraine's anti-tank capabilities
The new batch of Brimstone missiles for Ukraine forms part of a larger suite of arms with which the United Kingdom aims to bolster Ukrainian defences in the forthcoming period. Assistance encompasses, amongst other things, 200 first-generation Brimstone missiles and an unspecified quantity of second-generation missiles, which carry an enhanced range.
These missiles may equip the Wolfram tank destroyers. This inexpensive, war-time invention from Ukraine is an anti-tank platform resembling an off-road vehicle, the Supacat HMT 600, and carries an 8-chamber launcher for Brimstone missiles.
This configuration mirrors the concept of the Polish tank destroyer Ottokar - Brzoza. The highly mobile missile carrier doesn't have to be heavily armoured as - due to the missile's range - it strikes its targets beyond visual range, thereby not making itself an easy target for direct enemy fire.
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The Brimstone anti-tank guided missile
The Brimstone missile, developed in the UK during the 90s, integrates with Tornado GR.4 and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, among others. It can also be fired from ground launchers, some of which can be improvised, like temporarily modified Ukrainian pick-ups.
A key virtue of this missile is in its advanced radar head. Through this, along with laser guidance, the missile independently begins to "scan" for a compatible target after arriving at a specified location. This capability eliminates the need for knowing the exact position of the target at launch.
In this mode, the Brimstone independently searches for its target. It can accurately discern between different objects, such as a civilian car, a building, a regular tank, or a command vehicle.
The Brimstone missile is approximately 1.80 metres long, weighs about 48 kilograms, and has a range - depending on the version - of 11 to 19 kilometres.
