MAN-PORTABLE AIR-DEFENCE SYSTEMS (MANPADS)

About:

• Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems are short-range, lightweight and portable surface-to-air missiles that can be fired by individuals or small groups to destroy aircraft or helicopters.
  
  
• They help shield troops from aerial attacks and are most effective in targeting low-flying aircrafts.
  
  
• MANPATs or Man-Portable Anti-Tank Systems work in a similar manner but are used to destroy or incapacitate military tanks.
  
  
• MANPADS can be shoulder-fired, launched from atop a ground-vehicle, fired from a tripod or stand, and from a helicopter or boat.
  
  
• Weighing anywhere between 10 to 20 kilograms and not being longer than 1.8 metres, they are fairly lightweight as compared to other elaborate weapon systems, making them easy to operate by individual soldiers. Operating MANPADS requires substantially less training.
  
  

What are the common variants of MANPADs?

• The most common make of MANPADs is the U.S.-made Stinger missiles.
  
  
• Stinger’s Russian or Soviet-made counterparts are the Igla MANPADS, which also employ infrared technology.
  
  
• Sweden makes the RBS-70 MANPADS serieswhile China’s version, FN-6, is akin to the Stinger.