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thedrifter
10-23-03, 12:24 PM
"Death from below"... 1st Stinger Battery defends the skies

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 10/23/2003

Story by Sgt. Jason Gallentine

CAMP CHOLMAE, Republic of Korea (October 8, 2003) -- Whether it is an airfield, a ground unit, a command post or a location deemed of significant importance, all are susceptible to an aerial threat during real world contingencies and must be protected from attacks.

Fixed wing aircraft and radar scan the skies in search of these airborne threats and provide defense. However, there is always risk of an aircraft slipping behind these lines and a last line of defense is required.

The 1st Stinger Battery, Marine Air Control Group-18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, and their Stinger Missile Weapon Systems answer the call for this necessity.

Armed with smart missiles and motivated Marines, the Battery sets up perimeters around areas of importance and searches the skies providing low altitude air defense for the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

To accomplish this mission, these Marines use two weapon systems that fire Stinger Missiles. These weapon systems are the Avenger and Man Portable (ManPad) weapon systems.

According to Lance Cpl. Robert Stoddard, gunner, Stinger missiles use a central processing unit called a re-programmable microprocessor (RMP). This processor provides information to the missile giving it the capability to engage a variety of targets with more accuracy.

The ManPad is a shoulder-fired weapon system and uses an Identify Friend or Foe antenna (IFF) that sends out a signal and then receives a reply that tells the gunner if the aircraft is friendly, foe or unknown. While receiving signals from the IFF, the missile's seeker head simultaneously tracks on the aircraft and emits a tone acknowledging a lock. The gunner then un-cages the seeker head, which allows it to move freely and track on the target.

This seeker head, which is cooled to 170 degrees Fahrenheit below zero by Argon gas, is capable of tracking even the smallest heat source. Once released, the gunner then elevates the ManPad, leads the target, and fires the weapon.

The second system used is called the Avenger. The Avenger is a system mounted to the back of a Humvee, and is armed with two pods of four Stingers each. In addition, a M3P .50 caliber machine gun is also incorporated.

The pods of missiles and the .50 caliber machine gun are mounted on a turret capable of rotating 360 degrees. The gunner within this turret receives information from the section leader alerting gunners of enemy aircraft that may be approaching from a distance up to ten kilometers away.

Once the aircraft is in sight, the gunner adjusts the turret until the missile locks on target. The turret then elevates and releases the missile.

The Stinger missile is considered a fire-and-forget weapon. Once the missile is released, it tracks and makes adjustments on it's own using negative ultraviolet light and infrared to prevent confusion from the natural environment, according to Stoddard, a Modesto, Calif. native.

According to Lance Cpl. Justin Leasure, gunner, these weapons are deployed in a defensive line forward of the enemy's ordinance drop line to destroy the threat before it reaches it's goal.

When set up for defense in depth, Avengers can be placed with a single weapon system forward with several lines in the rear. Each defensive line has more Avengers than the previous until they form a pyramid with the base against the asset, the Marysville, Ohio Native said.

The Avenger can only activate one missile and track one target at a time, but it is capable of firing all eight in approximately one minute with a range of ten kilometers, Leasure stated.

According to Leasure Avengers are very mobile and can be deployed anywhere.

"I love my job," Leasure said. "It gives me a little rush knowing I'm going to blow something up. There's nothing like watching a target going up in flames." Stoddard agreed with the feeling when firing a Stinger Missile.

"I don't know anywhere else where a person can fire a $36,000 missile at a multi-million dollar plane and its just some Lance Cpl. doing it," Stoddard said.

"I think we are definitely a necessity," he said. "There will come a time we will face an enemy with a significant threat."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2003/10/mil-031023-mcn03.htm

Sempers,

Roger
:marine: