On June 28, 2024, the Bundestag’s budget committee approved a significant order of 500 Stinger missiles from the United States. This acquisition, carried out via a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure, aims to replenish the Bundeswehr’s stock after the transfer of 500 missiles to Ukraine. The total cost of this operation is estimated at approximately 395 million euros for 506 missiles of the modern FIM-92K Block I variant, equipped with proximity fuzes.
The supplier of these systems is the American giant Raytheon, also known for producing the Patriot air defense system. Stinger missiles, known as Fliegerfaust 2 in the Bundeswehr, are widely used portable air defense systems (MANPADS) by armed forces in many countries.
The Stinger systems are utilized in various configurations within the Bundeswehr. They can be shoulder-launched, integrated into light air defense systems, and mounted on combat helicopters like the Tiger. The new Skyranger armored anti-aircraft vehicles of the army will be the first to be equipped with versions without proximity fuzes.
The Fliegerfaust 2 Stinger is capable of neutralizing aerial targets at low and medium altitudes, at distances up to six kilometers and altitudes up to three kilometers. Operating on a “fire-and-forget” principle, these missiles automatically home in on their targets after the passive seeker head is activated.