FIM-92.

This is coolbert:

Actually a much acute problem than mentioned in the Sputnik article.

"Stinger Swindle: Why US’s 40yo MANPADS Don’t Stand a Chance Against Russia in Ukraine"

MANPAD = Man Portable Air Defense.

 From https://sputnikglobe.com.

"US defense giant Raytheon has had to rely on pensioned-off employees familiar with the Stinger man-portable air defense system’s (MANPADS) production process, bringing them back to help restart manufacturing after a two-decade hiatus in production and deliveries to Ukraine left the US military’s Stinger stocks drained."

"Retired Raytheon employees enjoying their golden years have been brought back to train the current workforce to make FIM-92 Stingers, with the MANPADS’ production process so antiquated that its seekers must be assembled by hand, Raytheon President Wesley Kremer has revealed."

Going to be YEARS before AMERICAN wartime stockpiled Stinger inventory replenished. Not even counting a continuous stream of MANPAD sent to the Ukrainian.

PARTS as used in the ORIGINAL production line of Stinger no longer available? Seeker from the warhead going to have to be redesigned.

See previous blog entries as applicable:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/04/dwindling.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/05/blurry.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/05/stinger-ii.html

coolbert.