UK Used Brimstone Missiles First Time In Syria

Royal Air Force used Brimstone missiles for the first time in Syria to strike against Daesh. Four attck was carried out by RAF combat jets deployed in the Middle East to fight against Daesh/ISIS/ISIL. Two of the strikes near Raqqa, targeted a vehicle and in the Omar oilfield in the eastern Syria, media reports. Two Tornado jets used a Brimstone missile to destroy a supply truck near Raqqa, and Paveway IV laser-guided bombs to target two IS buildings, including a command and control center. Another two Tornados and a Reaper drone used three Brimstones, as well as Hellfire missiles, to attack a number of mobile cranes brought in by IS to the Omar oilfield to try to repair damage inflicted by previous air strikes.

An MBDA Brimstone II missile 

Brimstone missiles are radar-guided and can be used against moving targets. The RAF has carried out several strikes in Syria since MPs voted in favour of extending UK action into the country on 2 December. The UK and Saudi Arabia are the only two countries to have purchased Brimstones.

MBDA's Air-to-Ground Missile(AGM) System "Brimstone"

Brimstone is an air-launched ground attack missile developed by MBDA for Britain's Royal Air Force. It was originally intended for "fire and forget" use against mass formations of enemy armour, using a millimetre wave (mmW) seeker to ensure accuracy even against moving targets. 

Brimstone GR4 Possible Carriage Configuration

Experience in Afghanistan led to the addition of laser guidance in the dual-mode Brimstone missile, allowing a "man in the loop" to pick out specific targets when friendly forces or civilians were in the area. 

The Tandem Shaped charge warhead is much more effective against modern tanks than similar weapons such as the AGM-65G Maverick, whilst the small blast area minimises collateral damage. Three Brimstones are carried on a launcher that occupies a single weapon station, allowing a single aircraft to carry many missiles.

After a protracted development programme, single-mode or "millimetric" Brimstone entered service with RAF Tornados in 2005, and the dual-mode variant in 2008. The latter has been extensively used in Afghanistan and Libya. 

An improved Brimstone 2 was expected to enter service in early 2015, but has been delayed. MBDA is working on the targeting of swarms of small boats under the name Sea Spear. The RAF are waiting for funding to fit Brimstone to their Eurofighter Typhoons and planned to integrate it with their Harriers until they were withdrawn from service in 2010. 

MBDA are studying the use of Brimstone on ships, attack helicopters, UAVs and from surface launchers; it will be integrated on the F-35 Lightning II when the F-35 enters British service. The US, France and India have expressed interest in buying Brimstone for their aircraft but Saudi Arabia is the only export customer to date.