G.I. Joe: Army Air Defense

He's a real American hero and his look is as familiar as his name.

At just under 35 lbs., the portable Stinger is an agile and extremely powerful defensive weapon that can be used to secure fortifications and troop positions. In the Gulf War, the Stinger became the "great equalizer" that provided the Marines of Desert Storm with an effective hand-held anti-aircraft system. Adapted for use against helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, the five and a half-foot Stinger missile is shoulder launched from a reusable launcher. The launcher is equipped with an identification system that permits a soldier to positively identify enemy aircraft before launching a missile. The launcher scans the aircraft, emitting a signal, which asks the target if it is friendly or hostile. When the target is confirmed to be hostile, the missile, with its 6.6 pounds of high explosives, is launched. An infrared sensor in the missile's nose locks on and zeroes in on target exhaust. With a speed of mach 2, an altitude of almost 16,000 feet, and a range of over 3 miles, the Stinger missile is extremely hard to evade. For enemy aircraft caught in Stinger cross hairs, there's no way to out-run it and no place to hide. Since the Gulf War, the Stinger Missile has been a reassuring addition to that growing arsenal of weapons that level the battlefield for the American G.I.