FIM-92 Stinger Portable Surface-to-Air Missile

Resource Cost

# of Units

Amount of Ammo

Influence Type Needed

1RP

1

3

Military

Additional Notes

The procedure for firing the Stinger differs from that given in the ConX rulebook. This is to make the process more realistic and set it apart from standard air-to-air missiles. I also don't like the standard missile system so if you think mine's too complicated, tough. If the instructions below are followed carefully you shouldn't have much of a problem. Abbreviated rules can be found in the Air Combat section.

Once the launcher has been prepared for firing, (see below) a lock-on must be acquired. This is achieved by first rolling the operators Heavy Weapons skill against Df1. Once this test has been completed, there is little the operator can do but hope that the guidance system acquires a lock. The GM then rolls with a "skill" of 2 against Df1. The difficulty can be increased by +2t due to background interference, (see below) +1t if the target is within 1.5km or over 4km away, or +1Df if the craft is launching flares. If the second test is also successful, the weapon has locked-on. Missile lock can be attempted once every round. Once the lock has been achieved, the weapon is fired and the missile engages the target.
At this point no further input is needed from the operator and the missile becomes controlled by the GM. A "skill" of 2 is used in a Df2 test to hit. Unusually high levels of background interference can also increase the difficulty by +1t. If the target is a helicopter or prop aircraft, add +2t to the missile's "skill". Targets within 1.5km will have a difficult time responding, and a Df3 Reflexes test is needed to act before the missile reaches the craft. Targets further away will have at least one to two opportunities to evade the missile depending on the exact distance. Whether they react or not also depends on whether they are aware of the missile's presence. Many military aircraft will have proper warning systems, otherwise the launch must be detected visually. The pilot may wish to outmaneuver, in which case he rolls his Pilot skill + handling vs Df4, (+1Df for helicopters, prop aircraft, & large aircraft). Most military aircraft and some helicopters are equipped with flares, which are small objects that are dropped from dispensers and burn at high temperatures for a few seconds to distract IR guided missiles. The pilot may choose to dispense flares if he has proper warning, and may do so in combination with an evasive maneuver. Flares provide a +2t to hit. A typical aircraft can launch four bursts of flares. Even if the pilot successfully loses the missile, he will not know it until the threat has passed, and may evade a second time unnecessarily. More information on aerial combat will soon be available in the optional rules section.
If the warhead hits, the craft takes Bl10 damage. Helicopters receive an additional +1 modifier on the damage table. Please note that a 12+ result does not mean that the craft automatically explodes, as the actual blast may not be sizable enough to create such extensive damage. Aircraft however, have a very specific way of staying aloft, and once a wing is lost or a tail rotor destroyed, the vehicle becomes useless. On a 12-13, the target is simply on its way down, and while crew or passengers may have received wounds, they may still have time to eject if conditions are right. A 14+ means instant fireball. The Bl10 damage applies specifically to aircraft, who are quite fragile compared to ground targets. If the warhead was to hit any other target, the damage would be significantly less.

The Stinger is only capable of locking on to large sources of heat, and may have trouble tracking some unorthodox types of craft.

The Stinger is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, infra-red (IR) homing (heat seeking) air defense guided missile. It is the only forward area air defense missile currently employed by US forces, and has also been sold to well over a dozen allied nations. The Stinger is designed to counter high-speed, low-level, ground attack aircraft.

The weapon employs a unique Rosette Scan Pattern image scanning technique that allows it to discriminate among targets, flares, and background clutter. The Stinger is also unique in that it possesses the Target Adaptive Guidance (TAG) technique, which biases missile orientation toward vulnerable portions of the aircraft and assures maximized lethality. This superior lethality is derived from hit-to-kill accuracy, high warhead lethality, and the impact force of Stinger's kinetic energy generated by speeds of up to Mach 2.0. It is highly deployable because it is a lightweight, self-contained air defense system that can be rapidly deployed on many military platforms in any combat situation. The Stinger's Fire-And-Forget ability also increases the survivability of its crew. This technology allows gunners and platforms to take cover or engage new targets immediately after firing. The missile also has a low life-cycle cost. It is issued as a certified round of ammunition, so it requires no field maintenance or associated logistical costs.

The two most popular forms of the Stinger are the Manportable Air Defense System (MANPADS) and the Standard Vehicle Mounted Launcher (SVML). The MANPADS system weighs 34.5 pounds and is made up of a missile round (consisting of a Stinger missile housed within a launch tube) mated to a separable gripstock. A battery/coolant unit (BCU) is inserted into the weapon round to provide prelaunch power to the system. All three items -- missile round, separable gripstock, and BCU -- are required to have an operational weapon. For IFF, (Identification, Friend or Foe) capability, an IFF interrogator is connected the launch tube. The MANPADS is currently fielded by all US forces.

Utilizing the Stinger is a multi-stage process, outlined below.

  1. Once the aircraft has been sighted, the weapon is shouldered and properly aligned so that it appears in the proper portion of the sight.

  2. If an IFF interrogator is present, the operator can utilize the device to determine whether the aircraft is friendly or not. An IFF transmission is sent to the target, and if a properly coded reply is not immediately received, the aircraft may be a threat.

  3. The weapon is activated by warming up the BCU. Electrical power and seeker coolant is provided to the weapon until launch or for a maximum of 45 seconds. Once the system has been activated, the BCU can be considered expended.

  4. The IR signal from the target must now be acquired. The weapon and operator must distinguish the source from possible background interference such as bare hillsides, bodies of water, and white clouds. This is usually an easy procedure and unless the sun is in the way, should only take a couple of seconds.

  5. The operator determines whether the target is within range and properly aligns the launcher to eliminate factors such as movement and the effects of gravity.

  6. The missile is released and heads towards the target. Once it has been propelled a safe distance from the tube, the rocket motor starts up and the missile rapidly accelerates. Areas in front and behind the missile should be clear of people and equipment. Permanent deafness will result if personnel are exposed to more than two firings without hearing protection. Breath should be held for 3 seconds to avoid inhalation of toxic fumes. The gripstock can also be removed from the launch tube for further use with other launch tubes. The expended BCU must also be detached within three minutes to avoid damage from its intense heat to the rest of the system. The team should move out of the position to avoid enemy attack. The entire firing process has taken 5-7 seconds.

More detailed operational instructions, system description, and deployment procedures are described in the Army Field Manuals at the bottom of this page.

The Stinger Missile System first saw combat in Afghanistan where it was issued to anti-Soviet Mujaheddin guerillas. The basic Stinger downed over 270 Soviet aircraft (a 79% combat success rate), and helped to stop air assault operations and force Soviet withdrawal. Current system enhancements are underway to ensure the Stinger's ability to defeat any enemy threat well into the next century. Stinger missiles are also mounted on modified Humvees and Bradley Assault Vehicles, as well as some helicopters for air-to-air combat. A small number of these weapons have leaked out of the Afghan conflict and onto the black market.

 

General Information

Manufacturer: Hughes Missile System Company/General Dynamics /Raytheon Corporation
Length: 1.5 meters
Weight: 34.5 pounds
Speed: Supersonic in flight
Range: 1 to 6 kilometers
Ceiling: 10,000 feet
Sensors: Passive Infrared
Unit Replacement Cost: $38,000

Images

Links

FM 44-18 AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY EMPLOYMENT STINGER

FM 44-18-1 STINGER TEAM OPERATIONS