I suspect that the most advanced seekers at the moment are in the Mistral 3 and Type 91 Kai MANPADS, they both have an IR CCD matrix, possibly with complex filters for comparison and image conversion by scale - as the missile approaches the target, the scale of the IR image on the matrix increases and the internal microprocessor must, using certain algorithms, enlarge the image from the one recorded in memory at the time of the seeker launch and compare it with the one available at the moment. For example, at the time of launch, the Type 91 Kai records an IR photograph from the pixels in the matrix in memory and then, as it approaches the target, casts heat spots (IR traps) from the center of mass of the aircraft/helicopter itself. I do not understand this in any way, but I think these seekers have the greatest sensitivity among all IR seekers due to the area of the matrix itself and the possibility of primary summation of IR radiation over the entire area of the matrix at the time of the MANPADS launch.
The Webra seeker is most likely just a combination of the Stinger and Igla seekers, no visible or IR CCD matrix, the Russian defense industry will hardly be able to afford to use expensive CCD matrices for MANPADS.
Russia was known not only for having some of the largest air to air missiles but also the smallest. The R-60 is a great early example. They made several surface to air modifications of missiles throughout the cold war as well that indicates that this should not have posed an issue. Until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 they were more or less in the lead compared to the West when it came to missile technology.
Many designs had an emphasis not only on cost but also on ease of production.
In general, I forgot to add my thoughts in the first part about the likelihood of problems with powerful power sources and compact proportional electric rudders. Powder rudders on solenoids are used in all Soviet-Russian MANPADS due to the well-established technology and possibly its reliability.
the cost of a Igla (of unknown modification) in Soviet times was about 5,000 Soviet rubles, which is about $20k in modern times, which is much cheaper than a Stinger. Theoretically, this could give a huge advantage in the saturation of MANPADS per square kilometer, complicating or making the work of aviation at low altitudes practically impossible.
On the other hand, we should not forget (I don’t remember exactly and haven’t read) that the development of MANPADS and air to air missiles was carried out by different research institutes, which could seriously compete with each other, up to a conscious refusal to share some developments with each other. Let’s imagine that the R60 developers don’t want to share compact electric rudders. This can happen in any country even in our time.
There is also that proportional actuators, which only really make a significant difference to performance when combined with a “closed loop” autopilot. And as such for the application to MANPADS require roll rate sensors and a feedback systems that are sufficiently small to fit within weight and size constraints imposed by the use case, while being both shock hardened & sensitive enough to provide useful data.
And so runs directly into the fact that Soviet / Russian solidstate microelectronic efforts lagged somewhat.
A FIM-92A missile by itself cost $38,000 in FY’80 dollars.
The total cost of the program (to 2000) was $7,281,000,00, which in that time produced 1060 systems (1x launcher + 4x Missiles + 6 BCU + replacement parts, training aids & support.), which as an approximate 6.5 Million each isn’t that bad, considering the value of what it could shoot down / protect.
Also the FIM-43C Redeye is much closer to the Strela / Igla in performance and the System only cost (on average) $6,000 in FY’60 dollars ( $16,700 in FY’80 dollars) with ~36,000 -43C’s produced / remanufactured.
This is an obvious matter and the reason why the Igla is more primitive in design.
Guys, we still have hope? tbh im tending more to “the hope is the only one who dies” - renato money moicano
I still hope + datalink fim92k. And I also hope that the Gaidzins will reconsider the detection and tracking range of FLIR and thermal imaging machines, at the moment the cloudiness/winter unrealistically catastrophically worsens their range. ADATS, Ozelot, etc.
its supposed to have datalink???
depends on what the “expert” of this article called it: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/stinger-missile-back-25882
But judging by his words, this is complete nonsense, the seeker head of older stingers always looks at the center, exactly where the thermal imaging FLIR with a laser rangefinder is aimed, and no corrections are needed, with the same success the Ozelot could use FIM92 E, J…
Honestly, the only hope is if Gaijin finds a missile worse than Stinger to replace 9.3 & 9.7 SPAA so they can justify moving Stinger platforms to 10.0 - 10.3 with improved maneuverability.
Just annoying for the Stingers already at that BR like the Stormer AD & LAV-AD at 10.0 or the Helis with ATAS like the Lynx at 10.7 and Apaches at 12.0.
For LAV-AD it makes sense cause 8 of them on a thermally equipped platform that has a potent gun as backup.
LAV-AD would probably increase to 10.3 - 10.7 if Stingers got their seemingly correct agility.
Strela is what, currently 10.3 because of its missile’s agility over Stingers and Iglas on a missile-only platform.
And more range. And a bigger proxy.
More range, and near unflareability make it 10.3