Britain’s defence chiefs have signed a £170 million deal to buy the world’s most deadly and accurate missile ever built.

The 1.8metre long Brimstone 2 air-to-ground bomb has a range of about 14 miles and can wipe out a tank or a kill a person, leaving people just feet away unscathed.

It is a beefed up version of the Brimstone which is being launched by our Tornado pilots in Iraq and Syria and has killed thousands of Islamic State terrorists.

One defence expert said recently: “The Brimstone can kill a person in a car parked outside a house and just a few windows in the home may be damaged.

“It is the best missile for the current conflict in Iraq and Syria because it goes a long way to ensuring minimum civilian casualties and maximum efficiency.”

A spokesman for the MoD said: “Brimstone 2 has the same heavyweight punch as its predecessor but can be launched from approximately twice as far away.

“Its cutting-edge seeker and more flexible guidance system means the new missile can defeat more challenging targets with greater accuracy.”

The Brimstone 2’s predecessor could be launched form seven miles away and at 20,000 feet from a Tornado, although it can also be fired from an Apache helicopter.

But the new version is thought to be capable of hitting a target 14 miles away.

RAF top guns need to be able to launch the missile from a distance away so that they can ensure being as far away from ISIS ground forces as possible - in case they have surface-to-air missiles.

Minister for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne said: “Brimstone has proven to be a key weapon in coalition operations against Daesh and these improvements, made possible through sustained Government support, build on that success.

“The MOD’s £170 million investment in Brimstone 2 will increase the effectiveness of UK air power and provide a significant boost to the national economy, sustaining around 250 jobs across the South West and South East.”

Group Captain Rich Davies, Station Commander of RAF Marham, said:

“Brimstone is the RAF’s weapon of choice in close air support operations. It is easy to use, highly accurate against static and moving targets, and allows pilots to tackle threats in a complex environment with maximum effect.

“Brimstone 2, which builds on experiences using Brimstone in combat, will provide a step up in performance, giving UK pilots an advanced weapon designed for the future battlefield.”

Brimstone 2 is expected to be available for use on RAF Typhoon aircraft from 2018.

 

Source : mirror.co.uk

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