SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES (SAM)

STINGER

 

Stinger surface to air missile

The FIM-92 Stinger is a man portable infra-red homing surface-to-air missile developed in the United States and used by all the U.S. armed services, with whom it entered service in 1981.

It is manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems and also under license by EADS in Germany.

 

Raytheon designates the missile as a MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defence System).

 

It is used by the military of the United States and by 29 other countries. Around 70,000 missiles have been produced.

Light to carry and relatively easy to operate, the FIM-92 Stinger is a passive surface-to-air missile, shoulder-fired by a single operator, although officially it requires two.

 

The FIM-92B can attack aircraft at a range of up to 15,700 feet (4800m) and at altitudes between 600 and 12,500 feet (180 and 3800m).

 

The missile can also be fired from the M-1097 Avenger vehicle and the M6 Linebacker an air defence variant of the M2 Bradley IFV.

 

The missile is also capable of being deployed from HMMWV Stinger rack, and can be used by airborne paratroopers. A helicopter launched version exists called the ATAS or Air-to-Air Stinger.
 

STINGER Specifications
Type Man portable low altitude surface-to-air missile
Manufacturer Raytheon
Weight 10kg with launcher 15kg
Warhead 1.1kg blast fragmentation with contact fuse
Length 1.5m
Diameter 7cm
Performance Speed Mach 2 , range 8km