Stinger and Javelin Problems

[mack7.62]

As in a lot are being used and replacement will not be quick. I do believe they can improve those timelines drastically but that means moving to a war production footing and I don't trust this administration as they seem to be hell bent on weakening the US.


https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/supply-crisis-us-javelin-and-stinger-stocks-rapidly-dwindle-202121

In testimony given before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Department of Defense’s top acquisition official, Ellen Lord, explained the situation to lawmakers. The Pentagon won’t be able to replace Stinger anti-aircraft missiles “within the next couple of years,” as production lines for the Cold War-era missile have been shut down. She added that some simpler components for Stinger missile production could be hard to source.

Lord added that “we are probably five years” away from replenishing the stock of Javelins, even though the Javelin production line has not closed.

The chief executive officer of the Professional Services Council, David Berteau, concurred, saying, “We have yet to see a single contract in place” related to Javelin or Stinger missiles. Noting that a third of these missile stocks are depleted, he added that “we’re behind.”

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

It seems our Military likes to develop things, but not build stuff. And never mind maintenance; the Navy was probably happy when that LHD caught fire- no need to maintain it....

[FriendlyStranger]

It's like other countries sending all this equipment to Ukraine. Are they hoping it will defeat the red army or are they hoping it will all be used/destroyed so they'll have nothing left when the commies spillover?

You just can't trust anyone these days.

Tucker Carlson: Our elites' collusion with China is real and widespread
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-elites-china-collusion-di-dongsheng
"We have people at the top. At the top of America's core inner circle of power and influence." According to Di Dongsheng, that has been true for decades.

Biden: "We want to see China rise": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksNBPC1jX6U


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJZfFp9YHkM

https://globalnews.ca/news/6823170/canadian-politicians-targeted-indian-intelligence/
The report acknowledged that China, Russia and other states were conducting foreign interference activities in Canada and that “elected and public officials across all orders of government” were being targeted.

[TomMcC]

I guess the question is then, will the Russians run out of T-72's, other armor and military aircraft, before we run out of Javalins and Stingers.

[mack7.62]

Problem is Javelins and Stingers might be needed in other parts of the world, if we use them all in Eastern Europe this could be an issue.

[sinister]

Russia had more tanks than any other hostile nation.

China's got some (and some new domestic-indigenous designs), but I don't think in nearly the same number as the Russians.

If we combine all Chinese, North Korean, and Iranian tank numbers will there be enough Javs?

Same with their flying craft -- how many Stingers do we need, and when?

We've got enough nukes in dormant, non-configured storage to destroy the planet a number of times over. How many is enough?

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

A read an article that talked about stingers and Javs and that they are they main way the Uks can kill tanks, but in the grand scheme of our combat operations, they are a rather minor way of killing tanks and blunting an attack.

If we are relying on Javs to stop tanks and Stingers to keep them from controlling the air, things are way off of plan and their supply is low on our list of problems...

I'd still like to have more, but they aren't critical to our defense- or at least that was the point of the article.

[El Vaquero]

Sounds like the only winner is China if the West and Russians deplete all their equipment on each other.

[mack7.62]

Javelin does not just have to be used on tanks, any thing that comes within range is fair game, patrol boats, landing craft, landing helo's General Officer staff car etc. But Javelin is not as big an issue as they are still in production and IIRC the maker said they could up the production rate to replace all those used so far in a year. Stinger on the other hand used components that are no longer being made so have to start making those again or redesign them.

Interesting tidbit the updated Stingers are able to lock on and take down the Russian Orlan-10E drone which is like a big RC model with a small piston engine. Now some may question the wisdom of using a missile that likely costs 10 times or more than the target you are shooting at not to underestimate the value of knocking out something that is about to call in artillery or an airstrike on your ass.

[Averageman]

When you talk numbers of tanks take that number with a grain of salt. What you want to know is how many can move shoot and communicate, which is a totally different number and is usually lied about quite heavily.
I have never been in a stateside unit that didn't lie through their teeth about their OR (Operational Readiness) rate. They all as a whole, did shitty Semi and annual services also.
I have little reason to believe the Chinese and Russians aren't the same way.

[pag23]

Sounds like the only winner is China if the West and Russians deplete all their equipment on each other.

Bingo....they are sitting back watching for a reason...

[Slater]

We've got a lot of TOW missiles in inventory, although that's not a fire-and-forget weapon. The newer wireless variants are RF guided and can reach out to something like 4500 meters.

[Alpha-17]

If we are relying on Javs to stop tanks and Stingers to keep them from controlling the air, things are way off of plan and their supply is low on our list of problems...

I'd still like to have more, but they aren't critical to our defense- or at least that was the point of the article.

Exactly. If we (meaning the US/NATO/the West) were in a similar situation, Javelins and Stingers wouldn't be as high up the priority list as they are in Ukraine simply because we have more tools for the job. And, likely as not, better tools than what are more or less the infantry "point defense" system for dealing with armor and aircraft. They are important, and production really needs to kick it up a notch or five, don't get me wrong, but we're not in "without them we are defenseless" territory.