|
Stinger is the short-range air defense (SHORAD) missile for use in
brigade, division and corps areas against cruise missiles,
unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft and
helicopters.
A fire-and-forget infrared guided missile system, Stinger can be
fired from a number of ground-to-air and rotary-wing platforms. It
employs a proportional navigation system that allows it to fly an
intercept course to the target. Once the missile has travelled a
safe distance from the gunner, its main engine ignites and propels
it to the target. The Stinger has been fielded as manportable air
defense (MANPAD) systems, and has later been installed on various
mobile platforms, including the M-163 Improved Vulcan systems,
Avenger air defense Hummer vehicle, the U.S. Marine Corps light
armored vehicle air-defense (LAV-AD) system and most recently -
the Bradley Linebacker M-6 and Wiesel APC (used by the German
Army).
The Stinger
deployed today is the Stinger-RMP Block 1, which is based on the
RMP (Reprogrammable Microprocessor) version in service since the
early 1990s. Block 1 offers improved capability against small
targets, including helicopters and UAVs. Stinger-RMP has
maintained a greater than 90% success rate in reliability and
training tests against advanced threat targets. Under the product
improvement program (P3I) the Stinger's hardware and software are
being upgraded, in order to maintain its capability against
predicted threats at maximum stand-off ranges. |
