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Raytheon asks retirees for help making new Stinger anti-air missiles
- wrp 3y agoIf the Vitebsk-25 defensive system works anywhere near as well as claimed, it would seem to be a really bad idea to resume production of this old technology.
- cameron_b 3y agoThe difference is training. Scores of operators on the ground are already trained and experienced on the Stinger platform and the development of complete already. Backfilling a proven stock item is faster than infilling a new platform. Refer to the training cycles required for tanks provided by the UK. Those tanks have qualified operators ( with matching tactical-operational skills, but there are few personnel to back up their abilities. The Stinger is valuable because of the established user base compared to that.
- fbdab103 3y agoThe US is not actively in a war. Do we not have enough idle personnel who can be trained now so they can handle future uses?
- Geezus_42 3y agoI highly doubt these are being made for the US. These are for profiting off other countries killing people.
- avree 3y agoThe thing you are speculating on is answered in the very first sentence of the article: "Nations like the United States and other NATO allies have given Ukraine their Stingers, putting the venerable human-portable surface-to-air missile to use against Soviet-designed aircraft, as it was originally designed to do. "
- bigbillheck 3y ago> The US is not actively in a war There are US soldiers and contractors fighting and dying right now: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/08/letter-to-the-speaker-of-the-house-and-president-pro-tempore-of-the-senate-on-war-powers-report/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases...
- anovikov 3y agoThey are mostly used to shoot down cruise missiles deep within Ukrainian territory, not planes (Russian planes don't fly over Ukraine controlled territory anyway, that would be suicide, and over frontline they have decent AAA). There's nothing new in defence pods like Vitebsk-25 for aircraft, they existed for decades and even many civilian aircraft have them (like many Israeli passenger planes, knowing they can be subject to terrorist shootdowns).
- Jtsummers 3y agoPer the article, this production run is a stop gap. The next gen system they (US Army) want is not yet available. They're restocking to cover the interim.
- gonzo41 3y agoThe stinger works great against drones and cruise missiles. Whilst Vitebsk-25 may be on choppers and fixed wing aircraft, It won't be on Iranian drones. And having stringers take down the small stuff makes using the Patriot System most cost effective against bigger targets.
- vsskanth 3y agoI think the issue here is more about finding someone with security clearance (labor shortage) rather than the know how. I would assume a company like Raytheon has all their processes documented and can quickly spin up a new manufacturing line for a legacy product.
- mozman 3y agoDid you just make that up or do you have supporting evidence?
- brianwawok 3y agoLike most hacker news it is are chair opinions presented as facts.
- VoodooJuJu 3y agoThe man gave his informed opinion and assumption. He did not present it as fact. Take it for what it's worth, and don't project anything onto it that's not there.
- colpabar 3y agoUm, do you have a peer reviewed study to back up your claims?
- Y_Y 3y agoI think Raytheon makes great chairs.
- lightedman 3y agoMy father did the radar guidance system for the Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles - for Raytheon. Yes, they're having problems with getting cleared people. It isn't the top-paying gig it used to be.
- sadhorse 3y ago
- r721 3y agoRecent discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36549466 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36549466
- morninglight 3y ago[flagged]
- AustinDev 3y agoIt's not hard to find people using MANPADS like the Stinger after they start shooting. The first one might suprise you but after that they're going to locate you and then figure out everyone you've ever talked to and bust your cell wide open in a matter of hours.
- gsatic 3y agoYou don't need stingers. Airport IT breaks down every 2 days for free.
- fbdab103 3y agoYou could fly $300 drones around an airport and that would pose a significant enough safety hazard that would likely shutdown all traffic. Or shine those high powered laser pointers at the planes. Disrupting society is remarkably easy if you draw outside the lines.
- Frummy 3y agoRemarkably easy - but at the price of facing full wrath in return and destroying your life.
- fbdab103 3y agoThread was in the context of terrorism, so I thought that much was a given.
- bigbillheck 3y agoIt's not as if the other option will get you a slap on the wrist.
- kjkjadksj 3y agoAfaik no one has yet caught the “jetpack/drone” that would occasionally fly around lax. Pretty busy airport loaded with defense contractors nearby, should be hard to walk away from something like that but it happens.
- nejimakidori 3y agoRelated issue discussed here — How America Broke Its War Machine (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36571941 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36571941) The stinger discussion seems a sub-issue to the longer-term process of hollowing out US industrial production described in the foreign affairs article cited in the HN post
- jokoon 3y agoThat's weird, the stinger is an amazing weapon which allows an infantry to take out an aerial threat, which is quite amazing. I don't understand why they would not secure the production of that missile, or even replace it with something new. It's not like they don't have enough money to cover all possible sorts of weapons that can exist.
- dustymcp 3y agoim thinking its doctrine, there simply havent been a need, us marines dont go in without air superiority, what good is a stinger if there are no targets?
- happosai 3y agoThe issue is, American army did not see them anymore entering a war where American infantry needs to take out aerial threats. The army assumed future wars would be killing goat herders carrying AK-47s with drone strikes. The idea was nobody would. E insane enough in the interconnected global economy to start to "real" war. And thus weapons production focused on anti-terrorism etc.
- headass 3y agonot exactly. near peer doctrine called for aerial dominance. only recently (last few years) has the US bought back SHORAD. manpads are seen as unnecessary because there’s bigger and better weapons systems for them
- Der_Einzige 3y agoMANPADs have pretty low ranges. You're mostly shooting helicopters and very low flying planes. Wikipedia claims a maximum range of 11000 feet, but the hot probability at that height is likely quite low.
- slt2021 3y agovery low flying planes is the Russian tactic against air defense
- Incipient 3y agoIn a semi related point, this is a problem with off shoring mamufacting. Once your supply chain and labour base forgets hours to do something, it's incredibly difficult to relearn it. Those skills and that value add opportunity is gone.