The Stinger Missile is a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS)
developed by United States in the late 1970s
The system is in service from 1981
and is used by the militaries of the United States and 29 other countries
It is designed to engage fast, low level, ground attack aircraft
The Stinger is also highly lethal against helicopters and transport aircraft
The missile is 5.0 ft long and 2.8 inch in diameter with 3.9 inch fins
The missile itself weighs 22 lb, while the missile with its launch tube and integral sight
fitted with a gripstock and Identification friend or foe (IFF) antenna
weighs approximately 34 lb (15.2 kg)
Stinger has a targeting range of up to 2.9 miles (4,800 m)
and can engage low altitude enemy threats at up to 2.4 miles (3,800 m)
The Stinger can be fired by a single operator
but usually includes a spotter for faster target identification
There are three main variants in use
the Stinger basic, Stinger-Passive Optical Seeker Technique (POST)
and Stinger-Reprogrammable Microprocessor (RMP)
Since 1986 the Stinger was used during the Soviet War in Afghanistan by Afghan fighters
This air defense system was also used in a number of other wars around the world
According to the 1993 US Air Defense Artillery Yearbook
the Afghan Mujahedeen gunners used the supplied Stingers
to score approximately 269 total aircraft kills in about 340 engagements, a 79% kill probability
If this report is accurate
Stingers would be responsible for over half of the 451 Soviet aircraft losses in Afghanistan
But these statistics are based on Mujahedeen self-reporting
which is of unknown reliability
In February 2022, several nations announced that they were providing Stinger missiles
to the Ukrainian forces defending against the Russian invasion
Germany announced that it would provide 500 missiles
Denmark said that it will provide parts for 300 missiles, to be assembled in the United States
The Netherlands stated they would supply 200 units
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United States
each stated that they would provide undisclosed amounts
By March 7, the USA reported that it and its NATO allies had together
sent more than 2,000 Stinger missiles to Ukraine