By the end of the year, the US Army will be purchasing a bundle of “ Stinger '' Enhanced Handheld Anti-Aircraft Missile Systems (MANPADS). (English Stinger “ sting '', combined arms index FIM-92), capable of fighting drones. Approximately $ 321 million will be spent on purchasing new weapons.
A new modification of the MANPADS Stinger will receive a reprogrammable microprocessor to track air threats. This enhancement will allow the light autonomous air defense system to destroy a wider range of threats, including threats as complex and relevant to modern combat as drones. & Nbsp;
The main innovation of the modernized Stinger & mdash; it is a high performance microprocessor that will determine the type of target and select how to detonate the warhead. If it is an airplane or a helicopter, the rocket will strike the engine; if this is a small target, it will explode near the flying object. The effectiveness of this technology was confirmed by the US military in a series of military tests that ended this year. Now it has been decided to re-equip most of the military units in the new complex, which are ordered to fight air targets.
The American portable anti-aircraft missile system was developed by the American company General Dynamics. and was commissioned forty years ago. It is one of the more common MANPADS, which is in service in 30 states, as well as a number of national liberation movements and terrorist organizations. Number of Stinger missiles produced of all models exceeded 70,000.
Originally intended to destroy airplanes, but has been modernized several times, which has significantly expanded the range of its tasks. For example, this MANPADS has been given the ability to fire at unarmoured ground or surface targets, and now drones. & Nbsp;
Based on the Stinger anti-aircraft missile, guided air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles were created, which were integrated into helicopters. Based on the complex, combat modules were developed for placement on self-propelled aircraft carriers. For example, the FIM-92B missile can be launched from the installations of the M-1097 Avenger and M6 Linebacker self-propelled anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as from container launchers of a number of ships.
In the classic version, a portable anti-aircraft system that is easy to carry and operate with an infrared homing missile can be launched from the shoulder by one person. Although the standard shooting procedure requires two & mdash; the group leader and the shooter. The missile can fire at planes flying at an altitude of 180 to 3,800 meters, with the affected area of the complex being up to 4,500 meters.
Dard was used by Afghan anti-government forces to defeat Soviet planes and helicopters during the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989). The United States began delivering these missiles in the fall of 1986, during the time that the Afghan Army received around 4,000 complexes. After the war ended, the US Congress allocated $ 65 million for a MANPADS and missile purchase operation, and some of them were purchased, but up to 400 ` 'stingers' remained in Afghanistan. & nbsp;
On January 5, 1987, special forces units of the GRU of the USSR intercepted the Stinger kit, on the basis of which the development of Soviet MANPADS began.