Defensa aérea

RapidRanger

Also known as
  • Rapid Ranger
  • Thales RapidRanger
  • RapidRanger MMS
  • RAPIDRanger

RapidRanger es un lanzador de defensa aérea de corto alcance montado en vehículo de Thales para reacción rápida contra amenazas aéreas y de superficie. Fuentes públicas vinculan el lanzador con vehículos portadores URO VAMTAC y con misiles Thales LMM Martlet y Starstreak.

RapidRanger, Lanzador de defensa aérea de corto alcance montado en vehículo, Defensa aérea
Image source: Wikimedia VAMTAC Starstreak ForceShield Image
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Reino Unido
Built by
Thales Group
Type
Lanzador de defensa aérea de corto alcance montado en vehículo
Service note
Sistema moderno de defensa aérea de corto alcance montado en vehículo de Thales.
Designer
Thales

Specifications

Función
Defensa aérea de corto alcance montada en vehículo contra amenazas aéreas y de superficie
Peso del lanzador
Aproximadamente 500 kg según informes del Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania
Portador documentado
Vehículo táctico todoterreno español URO VAMTAC según informes del Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania
Alcance de detección
Hasta 15 km según informes del Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania
Alcance de ataque
Hasta 7 km según informes del Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania
Compatibilidad de misiles
Misiles LMM Martlet y Starstreak en informes públicos ucranianos y de Thales
Conjunto de sensores
Vigilancia electroóptica con campo de visión de 360 grados; puede incluir sensor panorámico de búsqueda en infrarrojo lejano y seguimiento de blancos, y radar de vigilancia/seguimiento
Función de red
Puede operar de forma independiente o como parte de una red de mando más amplia
Vehículos portadores
CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
URO VAMTAC, 4x4 high-mobility tactical vehicle, Support EquipmentURO VAMTACVehículo táctico 4x4

El Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania dijo que los sistemas Rapid Ranger usados por fuerzas ucranianas están montados en vehículos tácticos todoterreno españoles URO VAMTAC, lo que respalda al VAMTAC como chasis portador documentado para este lanzador.

Sources: Ukraine Defense Ministry Rapid Ranger

Misiles disparados

RapidRanger está documentado como lanzador multimísil dentro de la familia de defensa aérea de corto alcance de Thales.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
LMM Martlet, Laser-guided lightweight multirole missile, Air DefenseLMM MartletMisil ligero multipropósito

El Ministerio de Defensa de Ucrania dijo que Rapid Ranger usa misiles LMM Martlet, mientras que informes contractuales de Thales describen vehículos RapidRanger equipados con misiles LMM.

Sources: Ukraine Defense Ministry Rapid Ranger, ASDNews Thales Portugal ForceShield

Starstreak, Short-range surface-to-air missile / MANPADS, Air DefenseStarstreakMisil de defensa aérea de alta velocidad

Los informes contractuales de Thales sobre el sistema ForceShield de Portugal describen vehículos RapidRanger equipados con misiles de defensa aérea de alta velocidad StarStreak, junto con misiles LMM.

Sources: ASDNews Thales Portugal ForceShield

Related Weapon Systems
LMM Martlet, Laser-guided lightweight multirole missile, Air DefenseAir DefenseLMM MartletLaser-guided lightweight multirole missileLMM Martlet is a British Thales-built lightweight multirole missile used as a short-range air-defense and anti-surface weapon. The 13 kg laser-guided missile is associated with Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters, Stormer-based short-range air-defense launchers, Ukrainian air-defense aid, and British counter-drone operations, giving it a compact role against drones, helicopters, small maritime craft, light vehicles, and other fast targets.
Starstreak, Short-range surface-to-air missile / MANPADS, Air DefenseAir DefenseStarstreakShort-range surface-to-air missile / MANPADSStarstreak is a British laser beam-riding short-range air-defense missile built by Thales Air Defence and fielded in shoulder-fired, lightweight multiple-launcher, and Stormer HVM configurations. The missile uses three dart-like projectiles and travels at more than three times the speed of sound, giving close air-defense teams a fast optically guided weapon against helicopters, low-flying aircraft, and some unmanned aircraft. The United Kingdom supplied Starstreak missiles and Stormer vehicles with Starstreak launchers to Ukraine during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, where Ukrainian forces used them as part of layered short-range air defense.
Stormer HVM, Self-propelled short-range air-defense missile system, Air DefenseAir DefenseStormer HVMSelf-propelled short-range air-defense missile systemStormer HVM is a British self-propelled Starstreak High Velocity Missile air-defense system mounted on the tracked Alvis Stormer vehicle. It combines a protected CVR(T)-derived carrier, passive target-alerting equipment, and a roof launcher with eight ready Starstreak missiles for close air defense against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. The United Kingdom announced Stormer transfers to Ukraine in April 2022, later stated that six Stormer vehicles with Starstreak launchers had been supplied, and Ukrainian reporting placed the systems on the frontline by late July 2022.
VT-1 missile, Command-guided surface-to-air missile, MunitionsMunitionsVT-1 missileCommand-guided surface-to-air missileThe VT-1 is a high-speed command-guided surface-to-air missile associated with the Crotale NG and later Crotale Mk3 air-defense systems. It is not a stand-alone battlefield weapon: the missile is fired from Crotale launchers that provide radar, optical tracking, command guidance, and target engagement control. Open references distinguish the baseline VT-1 used by Crotale NG from the extended-range Mk3 configuration, and Ukrainian Crotale NG combat reporting connects the missile family to short-range air-defense use in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Sources

Ukraine Defense Ministry Rapid RangerPublisher: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine | Note: Supports RapidRanger identity, VAMTAC carrier relationship, LMM Martlet use, mobility, detection and engagement figures, and sensor context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13ASDNews Thales Portugal ForceShieldPublisher: ASDNews / Thales | Note: Republishes Thales contract text supporting RapidRanger as a lightweight vehicle-based air-defense system fitted with StarStreak and LMM missiles in the ForceShield system. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Wikimedia VAMTAC Starstreak ForceShield ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports reusable image provenance for URO VAMTAC ST5 and LTV vehicles in an air-defense ForceShield line under public-domain Indonesian government status. | Accessed: 2026-07-13