How effective were Stingers in Afghanistan?

Soviet officials calculated that within the first year of its use, the Stinger had a success rate of 20\%, up from about 3\% when the rebels were using the SA-7 system, which was a Soviet copy of a much older US weapon. Nearly 270 aircraft were downed in total, according to one report.

What happened to the Stinger missiles in Afghanistan?

The best evidence that the Stingers were rendered ineffective is that the mujahideen had all but stopped firing them by 1988, despite continued receipt of hundreds more from the CIA. Instead, the rebels sold the missiles in international arms markets or squirreled them away for future use.

How good is the Stinger missile?

The reason we hear so much about the Stinger in these contexts is because the Stinger missile is an extremely effective weapon for shooting down aircraft. The missile uses an infrared seeker to lock on to the heat in the engine’s exhaust, and will hit nearly anything flying below 11,000 feet.

Are Stinger missiles still used?

The original Stinger’s reprogrammable microprocessor will become obsolete in 2023, and a service life extension will keep the Block I in service until 2030. With the arsenal declining from obsolescence, on 10 November 2020 the U.S. Army issued a request for information for a replacement MANPADS.

Who gave Stinger missiles to Afghanistan?

Engineer Ghaffar, of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-i-Islami, brought down the first Hind gunship with a Stinger on September 25, 1986 near Jalalabad. As part of Operation Cyclone, the CIA eventually supplied nearly 500 Stingers (some sources claim 1,500–2,000) to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, and 250 launchers.

Why did the Soviets face greater resistance from the Mujahideen?

Why did the Soviets face greater resistance from the mujahedeen than they expected? The Soviets’ poorly made weaponry was easily overcome and destroyed. The mujahedeen had an innate understanding of all the Soviets’ weaknesses. The United States provided weapons to the mujahedeen.

Do the mujahideen still exist?

Despite their common cause throughout the war, the mujahideen remained fragmented politically. After the war ended, a short-lived transitional government was established, sponsored by several factions of the mujahideen.