Stinger Missile

The Stinger, formally designated FIM-92, is an American man-portable infrared-homing surface-to-air missile principally produced by Raytheon Missiles and Defense, with additional manufacture by Airbus Defence and Space in Germany and Roketsan in Turkey, and it entered service in 1981. Designed to be carried and fired from the shoulder by a single soldier, the missile can also be mounted on ground vehicles, helicopters and small drones for a broader air-defense role. The Stinger made its combat debut during the 1982 Falklands War and later played a significant role in Afghanistan during the 1980s, where Central Intelligence Agency-supplied Stingers gave Afghan fighters an effective counter to Soviet helicopters and ground-attack aircraft. Its combination of portability, a passive infrared guidance system that requires no radar and a reputation for reliability has kept the Stinger in service and in demand across numerous later conflicts.