America Doesn’t Have a Good Answer to Iran’s MANPADS Threat |
America Doesn’t Have a Good Answer to Iran’s MANPADS Threat
Share this link on Facebook
Share this page on X (Twitter)
Share this link on LinkedIn
Share this page on Reddit
Email a link to this page
A near-shootdown of an F/A-18 Super Hornet last week highlights the asymmetric threat posed by Iran’s shoulder-fired anti-air missiles.
Last week, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet was nearly hit by an Iranian MANPADS near the coastal city of Chabahar. The missile detonated near the F/A-18’s tail during a low-level strafing run. The aircraft survived the incident—but the incident highlighted the vulnerability of advanced aircraft to cheap, shoulder-fired missiles at low levels, highlighting how valuable relatively primitive portable air defense systems can be even in high-tech wars.
What Exactly Is a “MANPADS” System?
MANPADS is an abbreviation for “Man-Portable Air Defense System.” There are many different MANPADS systems in existence, but each is essentially a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile.
The first MANPADS were developed in the 1950s and 1960s, but were initially constrained by their rudimentary targeting systems. As time went on, both Western and Soviet designers improved the missiles in their arsenals, leading to deadlier and deadlier........