FIM-92 Stinger

The missile FIM-92 Stinger is a lance Ground-to-air missile American with short range used to reach the Hélicoptère S or the Avion S of combat at low altitude and very short range.

Its engagement is autonomous (" type; fire and forget"), i.e. once the hung target and the launched missile, no operation on the ground is necessary to guide it.

History

The ground-to-air missile portable Stinger, officially known under the name of FIM-92A, was developed for the US Army and the US Marine Body by the Pomona department of the General Dynamics, which had already manufactured the Redeye. This department was absorbed by Raytheon Electronic Systems in 1992 which ensures some since manufacture in its factory of Tucson.

It is characterized by greater operational possibilities (it can in particular destroy a plane which flies towards the gunner), the best carried and a larger handiness. It is equipped with a system of identification of target and is in less sensitive to the enemy countermeasures.

Its first startup took place into 1981 within the American forces of West Germany. The 82e American airborne division based in the United States was equipped with it in 1982. The Japan placed order, and EADS builds it under license in Germany.

This Arme is well-known general public because of its diffusion to the Moudjahiddin S to fight the Soviet troops which made a great use of the helicopters and support air fire during the 1 {{Re}} war of Afghanistan.

If the operation were a real success which allowed to reverse the power struggle of this conflict, of Stingers were found soon available in the traffickers of weapons, feeding fear to see them falling between the hands from Terroriste S with the ambition to employ them against civil apparatuses.

Directions for use

The implementation of Stinger occurs as follows:

the gunner locates its target visually, it aligns it with the sight of the launcher, it questions it using the system IF of identification of target which it carries to the belt (smallest of the world to saying of the manufacturer).
If the apparatus is hostile, the waiter can launch its missile.
This last in general achieves its goal without another human intervention.
the operator then detaches the stick of shooting of the tube empties and adapts it to another launcher in order to be ready for a new engagement.

Operation

The missile is equipped with a powerful explosive head, an electronic system of control and a rocket engine on two floors: an ejector for launching and a principal engine which is started at good distance from the gunner in order to avoid to him being flaring. The engine confers on the missile a cruising speed Mach 2. The missile, its stick of shooting, the device of identification of target and the cooling system of the batteries are conditioned in a compact container out of aluminum which makes it possible to transport them easily and without risk on an aircraft, a helicopter or with the back of a vehicle.

Evolution

A version improved of Stinger, the POST (for Passive Optical Seeker Technical), was developed. It would be equipped with a device making it possible to distinguish the target from its background, particularly useful to intercept a flying plane at low altitude.

In addition to the ground-to-air model, General Dynamics proposed two derived from Stinger intended to equip with the helicopters. The MLMS (light missile for multiple uses) would be used in flight for the destruction of enemy helicopters. In a first configuration, two air-to-air MLMS would be placed on a side of the apparatus and, two anti-tank missiles on other side. But one could also arm a small number of helicopters with Stinger and make them ensure of the tasks of interception.

The ADSM (missile for the destruction of anti-aircraft defenses), as for him, would be different from basic Stinger by the presence of a homing device from electromagnetic radiation which would enable him to locate and destroy Radar S enemies, like, for example, those of the autotracté anti-aircraft gun of 23 mm ZSU-23-4.

Operators

nonexaustive List : Germany, the United States of America, Israel, Iran, Lithuania, Pakistan, Swiss.

See too

MAWS system of detection of missiles

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