While they were invented and first put into use around the 1950s, MANPADS continue to be just as much of a threat today in modern warfighting. We’ll look at how they work, their accuracy, and how they’re being used today in missile countermeasures alongside radar.
What Is A MANPAD?
A MANPAD, which stands for man portable air defense system, is a surface-to-air missile that is a large threat to lower-flying aircraft, like helicopters. Their purpose is to protect ground-based teams from air-based threats.
MANPADS have a simple design consisting of a tube that holds the missile, a battery, a launch mechanism, and sights mounted on the missile tube. They can be launched by a single individual or by a crew and are easy to transport from location to location.
Even though they look similar in appearance, a MANPAD is not an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). An RPG is a type of direct-fire weapon that is unguided (nothing is directing the trajectory) and is not as effective against air threats. They are better for short-range threats, unlike MANPADS which have long-range capabilities.
How Do MANPADs Work?
There are three types of MANPADS:
- Command of line sight MANPADS use a remote control to help them reach their end target.
- Laser-guided (laser beam rider) MANPADS use the laser to aim towards the target and the missiles follow it.
- Infrared MANPADS detect the heat of their target (e.g., an aircraft’s engine) and use that to guide the missiles to the target. These are the most commonly used and they’re also considered the easiest to use.
On the flip side, missile countermeasures are the different systems and methods used to disrupt the success of any guided missile, like a MANPAD. Radar can be considered a missile countermeasure since it can detect and work with a complementing system in place to prevent guided missiles.
How Accurate Is A MANPAD?
There are a variety of missile systems used, so the specific range will vary based on the model being utilized. But there are some, like the RBS 70 NG, that have a range of almost six miles. Other popular models like the FIM-92 Stinger, which is a type of MANPAD that uses infrared homing, are known for their deadly speed and accuracy.
Wondering about stinger missile effectiveness? They move 2x the speed of sound and don’t require any other action from the gunner once the system is activated. Because of its speed, a Stinger is more than capable of hitting a jet.
The Threat MANPADS Hold Today
In today’s world, the defense community is concerned with the MANPADS that were acquired by terrorist groups. There are around 500,000 in existence and a lot of those are thought to be in the hands of bad actors. There are several reasons that MANPADS are attractive to terrorist groups:
- They are easy to conceal before use.
- They are highly lethal, as mentioned above.
- They are inexpensive compared to other weapons on the black market.
MANPADS pose a serious threat to commercial airlines in particular. Some of these systems may accidentally, or intentionally (if being used by nefarious actors), target commercial aircraft taking off or landing. Since about 1975, about 60 civilian aircraft have been hit by MANPADS. Given how prevalent MANPADS are in global conflicts, they increase the risk of innocent bystanders being affected.
In recent events, MANPADS have been used in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members have been sending MANPADS to Ukraine to help arm their soldiers. These weapons have been proven at limiting Russian air attacks and have been a valuable asset to the Ukrainian military.
Having these weapons at their disposal has given Ukraine an advantage and allowed them to fight more accurately against Russian forces. They have been able to slow the progression of the Russian army and can fight more strategically to save resources.
Another threat to consider is that Russia is the largest exporter of MANPADS. With that amount of weaponry being produced, that can cause uneasiness for countries who aren’t on friendly terms with Russia.
Radar’s Role in Missile Countermeasures
To defend against MANPAD systems, radars detect, track, and provide warning against incoming missiles.
Radars are critical for this application because they can detect the target and measure its range to provide time for the aircraft to deploy countermeasures and/or evasive maneuvers. This can limit the number of warfighters who are affected by incoming threats and keep casualties at a minimum.
Even as radar can be used to detect and destroy MANPADS, they can also work in tandem with them as a partner technology to eliminate projectiles. Radars can detect the incoming threat and a MANPAD, or another defense countermeasure like a short-range air defense (vshord), can be launched to neutralize them. RADA USA builds military radars to these standards. They will detect the incoming missile and work cooperatively with a partner system. This helps keep military personnel safer.
Radar can be utilized in several different systems. They can be part of a ground-based radar system or a C-UAS (counter unmanned aircraft system) alarm system. Radars can also be used in land surveillance.