MANPADS is the abbreviation for Man Portable Air Defence Systems and these are surface to air missiles fired from the shoulder like a rifle. These military weapon systems were designed to engage and destroy hostile aircraft operating at very low levels and high speeds. Among this genre of weapons, the FIM-Stinger and the A-7 Strela are now legendary for several reasons. Both were used effectively against Soviet aircrafts in Afghanistan, but most importantly they are now a potent threat to civilian aviation globally. The last such recorded instance was in November 2002 when an Israeli passenger aircraft was fired upon when it was getting airborne from Mombassa in Kenya. The terrorist groups had used the oldest of the variants named Strela and thus exploded the belief that the weapons had outlived their shelf-life and have ceased to useful in the hands of terrorists and this threat has abated for good.

The problems started when these weapons landed in the hands of non-state actors. Although, the Strela entered military service in 1966, its widespread use was seen in the Vietnam War, and by the end of American involvement in January 1973, a total of 528 missiles had been fired at US and Vietnamese aircraft, scoring 45 kills. The relative simplicity of these weapon systems has resulted in the widespread distribution of the weapon to various guerrilla and terrorist groups. It has been used by the Palestinians in Lebanon and Jordan, the Polisario in Morocco, Mauritania and Spanish Sahara, the Mujahideen in Afghanistan (510 firings/47 kills), Unita in Angola and Freelimo rebels in Mozambique among several non-state users. The Strela 2M attains a speed of nearly 2,100kms/hr and is lethal up to a range 5.6 kilometres. With a total launch weight of less than 15 kilograms, it can be moved about with ease and alacrity. The guidance is provided with infrared passive homing, making it extremely potent to strike at aircraft engines in flight.

The American General Dynamics (now Raytheon) FIM-Stinger heat seeking missile, the most formidable weapon to emerge in the MANPADS group, has exacerbated the threat to a substantially enhanced level. With a three kilogram fragmentation warhead, its accuracy and performance surpassed all weapons of its genre. It is known to have registered 79 per cent kills and in head-on engagements over 90 per cent success rate has been achieved.

Our anxieties rise to surface when we recall that nothing is known about the Stringers left over with the Mujahideen. Of the 900 pieces provided to them by the American administration only 340 were known to have been used. Amidst all kinds of rumours of about 312 of these weapons being sold in the Landi Kotal illicit market in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan and the Americans endeavouring to buy them back at $100,000 apiece, we are extremely uncertain even today. Even after the arrival of the US military in Afghanistan the real situation is not known. The arithmetic never squared. If at all, immediately after the occupation of Baghram Air Force base in Afghanistan, the CENTAF (Air forces under the CENTCOM) commander warned of the danger from these weapons on the loose, and a special unmanned aerial vehicle was hurriedly introduced at all bases in Afghanistan to monitor areas outlying the perimeters of the airbases during arrival and departure of flights, and during the conduct of all operations that called for low altitude flying activity. This practice continues even now.

In this context, we can also not afford to overlook that the FIM-Stinger was also made available to the UNITA in Angola when they were allied with the US and were fighting the Soviet-sponsored regime in that country. And surprisingly, despite a substantial deweaponisation process undertaken in Angola, no recoveries of MANPADS of any variety came to light.

There was a report that the British government had supplied 300 Blowpipe surface to air missiles to the Mujahideen on 20th and 22nd June, 1988. This was perhaps as a share of their contribution against the Soviet regime. Although not as versatile as the Stinger or the Strela, this missile system is a reasonable threat which can not be wished away. Secretly hidden Blowpipes were most recently unearthed in Afghanistan and therefore the spectre of the danger lingers as strongly.

Only time will show the quantum of success achieved in the global endeavour against stemming the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SLAW), but ensuring that the MANPADS do not fall into undesirable hands calls for special attention. The fact that from the days of Strela we have advanced into the era of the Igla (SA-18), a for more advance variant of the MANPADS and which was used by the rebels in Chechnya against the Russian aircraft engaging the rebels, needs to be noted.