Air Defense Article Index : Current 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics

May 6, 2002

The UK newspaper "Financial Times" reported on 29 April that the British and US governments are funding a covert operation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to identify and buy back hundreds of western-made "Stinger" and "Blowpipe" man-portable anti-defense missiles that could be used against coalition forces. This is an over-reaction to the discovery of a Stinger found in Afghanistan last month, since subsequent searches have not turned up any other MANPADs. Experts on the ground believe that the main threat has been from rocket-propelled grenades (the RPG-7 has proven itself to be an effect anti-aircraft weapon in several wars and theaters). The damage inflicted on five AH-64 helicopter gunships during the first days of Operation Anaconda were by RPGs - Adam Geibel