The radar-guided "smart missiles" quoted among the reasons for the UK to take part in the airstrikes campaign in Syria have so far killed no Daesh fighters.





The response to�a freedom of�information (FOI) request by�the Huffington Post UK has revealed that no recorded casualty has been attributed to�the Brimstone missile since�the start of�the strikes in�December.

In the FOI answer, the UK Ministry of�Defense said that only seven people have been hit by�British strikes so far� it is unknown whether they were killed or just wounded.

Five of�the casualties resulted from�US-made Hellfire missiles, while the remaining two were brought about�by Paveway IV bombs.

Brimstone missiles� �100,000-each�� resort to�radar and laser technology to�hit targets precisely. They had previously been extolled by�cabinet figures, including Prime Minister David Cameron, who said that they would "cut off�the head of�the [Daesh] snake".


The government actually built part of�its case for�British intervention on�the Brimstone missiles.

Since only the UK and Saudi Arabia have access to�these particular missiles, the cabinet�s narrative went, the RAF's intervention could actually make a difference.

Tory minister David Jones described Brimstones as "unique", while the PM called them "some of�the most accurate weapons known to�man".

It was claimed that such accuracy would reduce civilian kills and reliably hit faraway targets. This argument had nonetheless been disputed ahead of�the vote, because Brimstone's anti-tank capabilities can cause harm to�other than�its intended target.

The FOI response said that the much-touted missiles have so far been used only in�nine strikes. In addition, the Brimstone missiles' deployment was not kick-started until�January, more than�a month after�the British Parliament voted for�the intervention.
By Sputnik