Stormer Air Defence: Aircraft Ablaze!

A lil somethin somethin: You can find the details for this event on the announcement page here.

Today we’ll take a look at the Stormer Air Defence, featuring a new type of turret placed onto a Stormer chassis, providing 25 mm GAU-12U and Stinger firepower against planes and helicopters, plus a 7.62 mm machine gun.

Stormer AD: An SPAA for Great Britain at Rank VII
At a glance:

• 25 mm GAU-12U cannon with 1,800 RPM, but only 500 rounds in total.
  
• 2 x Stinger missiles ready to launch with 6 extras stowed!
  
• Stinger missiles include the FIM-92E (default) and FIM-92K (unlocked through a modification).
  
• Same chassis as the Stormer HVM with 80 km/h max speed.

Vehicle History
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The Stormer Air Defence was a technology demonstrator that was first shown at the British Army Equipment Exhibition in 1984. This vehicle was developed by British company Alvis Ltd. in an attempt to create a modular air defence system based on the already proven Alvis Stormer platform. It featured a General Electric Modular Weapon System (also known as a Blazer turret) that could either fit a 25 mm or 30 mm cannon, two Stinger missile launchers, a 7.62 mm machine gun, smoke grenade launchers and a RA-20 S search radar. At least one technology demonstrator was built, but information regarding the amount of interest shown from potential buyers and the fate of the demonstrator is relatively unknown. Regardless, the Stormer Air Defence did not go into production.
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Meet the Stormer Air Defence!
This is the Stormer Air Defence, a technology demonstrator created by Alvis that’s capable of taking out helicopters and planes in ground battles, and even some ground vehicles if you’re feeling lucky. A 25 mm GAU-12U cannon is all you need for this, plus some Stinger missiles when your aim with the gun is having an off-day. All coming in the Dance of Dragons major update — let’s take a look!




If you’re a British ground forces player, you’ll understand the lack of guns for SPAAs at the higher ranks on the Stormer HVM and ADATS (M113) for example. You’re not going to lack this on the Stormer Air Defence though, as this vehicle features the 25 mm GAU-12U cannon that has 5 barrels and a rate of fire of 1,800 rounds per minute! For those who have played LAV-AD, you’ll know that this gun is capable of absolutely destroying helicopters and aircraft, however at shorter ranges only; avoid using this gun at longer ranges, as the lack of bullet spread is going to make hitting targets difficult. This cannon is also useful for taking out enemy ground vehicles by shooting them at the sides, especially MBTs and weakly armored IFVs!

That brings us perfectly onto the type of missiles that the Stormer Air Defence has and what can be used for longer ranges. This vehicle features two launchers for FIM-92E or K Stinger missiles that have a launch range up to a max of 5 km, and there’s 8 in total — 2 ready to launch and 6 stowed. These missiles are good for taking down planes and helicopters that are at medium to long distances outside of the cannon’s closer-range capability.




Onto misc features of this vehicle now. The Stormer Air Defence features a ESD RA-20-S search radar, which is capable of tracking targets for firing the Stinger missiles, as well as for auto-locking with the 25 mm GAU-12U cannon. This vehicle also has smoke grenade launchers fitted on the turret and hull, perfect for hiding yourself from several enemy aircraft trying to counter you at once. To round it off, a 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted on the turret, good for knocking down bushes, fences and smaller trees. Obviously you can use the 25 mm for this, but you may not want to do that especially with the low ammo count and it not being a particularly subtle weapon — the less attention you draw to yourself the better!

Did you know? The Stormer chassis was used for a variety of different roles; the anti-air Stormer HVM, Flat-bed Stormer for the Shielder minelaying system, and tech demos such as the Stormer Air Defence (this vehicle!).



The chassis is very familiar to the British ground forces tree. In fact, it’s the exact same chassis that the Stormer HVM uses. Its max speed of 80 km/h is excellent for getting to positions and hunkering down to prey on and ambush enemy aircraft. Its armor is light aluminum alloy and good enough for protecting against small machine gun fire, but any autocannons will shred the 3 crew members — 2 of which are located in the turret that has very low protection values.

One small note on the chassis. The model and visuals themselves are slightly different compared to the Stormer HVM’s — the exhaust goes upwards, the antennas are on the turret instead, and some other misc items, such as fire extinguishers and the mirrors are in slightly different positions. This is in-line with photographs of the Stormer Air Defence at the British Army Equipment Exhibition in 1984.



That’s today’s blog! The Stormer Air Defence is going to provide Britain with some extra and different anti-aircraft fire-power nearer to the top ranks when it comes to the game in the Dance of Dragons major update. The update is close now. Until then, happy battles ahead!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.