Ukrainian soldier downs Russian missile with US Stinger system

A recent video has revealed a Ukrainian soldier shooting down a Russian maneuvering missile with the American FIM-92 Stinger system, marking a notable event.

In a substantial assault, Russia has launched Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at Ukraine. Remarkably, Ukrainians have been successful in intercepting most of the drones and cruise missiles.

The video showcases a Ukrainian soldier taking down a Russian cruise missile, likely part of the Kh-101 and Kh-55/555 series, using the FIM-92 Stinger system.

Cruise missiles are designed to be relatively slow, with their maximum speed not surpassing Mach 1 (around 761 mph), and fly at low altitudes. This approach, enhanced by stealth technology in newer models, aims to evade radar detection from anti-aircraft systems.

Significantly, land radars, despite being able to detect targets from approximately 186 miles away at an altitude of 6.2 miles, face limitations due to the Earth's curvature, which creates a 'radar horizon.' This phenomenon restricts the detection range of low-flying objects to about 25 miles.

Given the impracticality of installing enough radars to cover an entire country, mobile patrols armed with Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS), like the FIM-92 Stinger or the Polish PPZR Piorun, present a viable alternative.

The FIM-92 Stinger is equipped with a heat-seeking warhead, making it particularly effective against the turbojet engines of cruise missiles, which emit considerable heat. Even though it moves at speeds just over Mach 2 (beyond 1528 mph), hitting a cruise missile isn't a challenging task for the Stinger.

The Stinger system is capable of engaging targets up to approximately 3.1 miles away and at altitudes of about 2.5 miles. Its heat-seeking capabilities, enhanced by a third-generation infrared sensor that detects heat spots and an additional sensor that operates in ultraviolet, distinguish between simple heat sources like flares and the more complex emissions from an engine. Although not as advanced as the fourth-generation infrared sensors used in Mistral missiles, which provide a thermal image of the target, the Stinger's technology is more straightforward and cost-efficient.