Stinger
FIM-92A Stinger missile launcher
Name	Stinger
Origin	United States of America
Designer	General Dynamics
Manufacturer	Raytheon Missile Systems
Weight	15.2 kg 15.6 kg (FIM-92A) 3 kg (warhead) 10.1 kg (missile)
Length	1.52 m
Diameter	70 mm
Sight system	Infrared homing

The FIM 92 Stinger missile system, referred to as the XFIM-92 during development, is a man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile system developed in the United States of America and entered combat service in 1981.

Contents 1 Details 1.1 Peace Walker Incident 1.2 Post-Peace Walker 1.3 Zanzibar Land Disturbance 1.4 Post-Zanzibar Land 1.5 Shadow Moses Incident 1.6 The Manhattan Incident 1.7 Desperado Incursions 2 Unconfirmed usage 3 Behind the scenes 4 Appearances 5 Notes and references

DetailsEdit

The FIM-92 Stinger was originally developed by General Dynamics in 1967 under the name of the Redeye II, as it was intended to replace the FIM-43 Redeye. It was accepted into development in 1971 and given the name FIM-92, with the appellation Stinger being applied in 1972.

Peace Walker IncidentEdit

Main Article

During the Peace Walker Incident in 1974, Big Boss's group, the Militaires Sans Frontières, managed to procure designs of the XFIM-92A, the prototype to the missile system, as a reward for their actions in stopping a vehicle unit during one of their missions outside Costa Rica. After developing the prototype weapon system, the MSF eventually managed to improve its lock-on capabilities.

Post-Peace WalkerEdit

Because of technical difficulties that dogged testing, the first shoulder launch test was delayed until mid-1975. Afterwards, production started by 1978, and was formally adopted into the United States military by 1981. An improved version was later developed, codenamed the FIM-92B, followed by a further upgrade was developed at 1984 called the FIM-92C. During this time, the Stinger Missile system was issued to the United States Navy to be installed on their warships as point defense when they are stationed on Middle Eastern waters that required three people to man it. The Stinger missiles saw action throughout various wars, including the Falkands War, the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the Angolan Civil War, and the Invasion of Grenada. The FIM-92C entered production in 1987. Likewise, production of the FIM-92A and FIM-92B ended on that same year. The first examples of the FIM-92C were then delivered to frontline units in 1989. Development for a software upgrade for the sensors and softwar in future Stinger systems that would improve the systems performance against smaller targets started on 1992, and started production in 1995, of which the FIM-92E was designated under. In September 1993, the FIM-92 Stinger systems on United States Navy warships was decommissioned. In 1996, Block II was developed, which would have utilized a new focal plane array sensor to inprove the missile's effectiveness in high cluttered environments as well as increase the engagement range to approximately 7,600 meters.

Zanzibar Land DisturbanceEdit

Main Article

During the Zanzibar Land Disturbance in 1999, the Stinger missile system was utilized by the Zanzibar Land forces, both as a portable weapon and as one of the missile systems in their modified Hind Ds and Goliath heavy tanks. Solid Snake procured Stinger missiles in the Zanzibar Building's hangar before they were loaded onto one of Zanzibar Land's war machines, and used them to shoot down a Hind D that was between him and the Tower Building.

Post-Zanzibar LandEdit

In 2001, a software upgrade for the Stinger was designated FIM-92F.

Shadow Moses IncidentEdit

Main Article

During the Shadow Moses Incident in 2005, Solid Snake needed to locate a Stinger missile system in order to fight Liquid Snake's Hind D, as he didn't stand a chance against the gunship without it. After procuring one, he fought against the Hind and managed to shoot it down. Snake later utilized the Stinger in his fight against Metal Gear REX, eventually destroying the cockpit after Gray Fox had destroyed its radome.

The Manhattan IncidentEdit

See the Tanker Incident and the Big Shell Incident

During the Big Shell Incident in 2009, Solidus Snake, in his Harrier jet, attempted to attack the Kasatka that Solid Snake and Otacon were using. Snake gave Raiden a Stinger missile system for him to cover fire to shoot down the Harrier. However, its guidance system had not been updated, so it had a tendency to go off target when an enemy fired a heat signature, such as flares. Afterwards, Solid Snake, while onboard Arsenal Gear, had stockpiled on Stinger missiles in the event that he and Raiden would have to face off against all 25 Metal Gear RAY units on board. Raiden later used the Stinger missile system to take down several unmanned Metal Gear RAY models before getting exhausted.

Desperado IncursionsEdit

During Desperado's attack at Africa in 2018, Boris Vyacheslavovich Popov, the leader of the PMC Maverick, attempted to shoot down a tiltrotor chopper owned by Sundowner with a Stinger missile while the latter was escaping. However, the missiles Boris had were outdated, largely because of the op he and Maverick had been undergoing at the time not requiring advanced weaponry. As a result, because of the outdated system lacking IR and millimetre sensors, the missiles missed their target due to the flares deployed by the tiltrotor. Raiden later procured some Stinger missile launchers during his fights against Desperado after Africa, this time with improved targeting sensors equipped with IR and millimetre sensors that prevent spoofing from flares.

Unconfirmed usageEdit

During the Shadow Moses Incident, three members of the Space Seals delivered two containers to Liquid Snake at the nuclear warhead storage facility, one of which contained a Stinger missile launcher with three missiles.^[1]

Behind the scenesEdit

The Stinger is a heat-seeking missile that is useful against aircraft and Metal Gears. It is used by getting the crosshairs close enough to a target for the tone to change. Once launched the missile will follow the target until it hits.

In the 3D games, equipping the Stinger missiles will switch the player to a first person view that depicts potential targets as diamonds. Once a diamond has been in the cross hairs for long enough it will turn red signifying a target lock. If a missile is then launched it will follow the target and hit it, unless an object happens to obstruct the missile's path.

The Stinger is used to knock out a Hind D helicopter in both Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and Metal Gear Solid, and also to battle Metal Gear REX in the latter. The Stinger in Metal Gear Solid can be used to destroy surveillance cameras, gun cameras, and enemy soldiers, but an alert is raised if guards are in the area.

In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, the Stinger is used against a Harrier jet and the mass-produced Metal Gear RAY units. It is also very effective against Vamp in Shell 2, as the missiles are powerful enough to knock him from the railings and can even target him when he's underwater (even if the shot misses, it can decrease his O2 Gauge considerably). Unlike the previous game, the missile can be launched and then locked on to the target afterwards to redirect the missile in mid-air.

The Stinger also appears in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, under the name FIM-92A. Although it is useful for taking out PMC helicopters and other flying targets, it serves as an alternative missile to destroy Gekko units. It can be found in the power station in South America during Act 2, Solid Sun, or bought from Drebin for 100,000 DP.

"A man-portable surface-to-air missile system, developed as the successor to the FIM-43. The launcher is disposable and good for only one shot.
It is a very easy to use anti-air weapon. The missiles feature an improved guidance system with dual infrared and ultraviolet seekers. An enhanced seeker cooling system also shortens pre-launch lock-on time, which allows for quicker responses to unexpected engagements with the enemy.
Players who find themselves struggling to cope with enemy air attacks are strongly advised to bring a XFIM-92A or two along."

— XFIM-92A description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Although technically not labelled as a Stinger, a similar surface-to-air missile system appears in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

"A guided missile launcher equipped with both traditional passive infrared guidance as well as millimeter-wave active radar homing, allowing it to penetrate flare-based defenses while still offering easy fire and forget targeting."

— Surface-to-Air Homing Missile description in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Appearances Edit

• Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
• Metal Gear Solid
• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (FIM-92A)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (XFIM-92A)

Notes and referencesEdit

1. ^ Metal Gear Solid novelization by Raymond Benson, Del Rey Books (2008).

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