What is a Javelin?
The Javelin is an antitank missile system that locks onto a target’s thermal picture. The soldier peers through a command launch unit and selects different targets and attack types. When fired, the missile’s launch motor thrusts it out of the tube before its primary motor turns on and sends the rocket flying. The gentler start reduces debris and smoke, making it harder for the enemy to see where it was launched. It makes use of what is known as a “fire and forget” system, which allows the soldier to take cover or load a new missile while the other one is tracking to its target.
The system can fire day or night and has a relatively far range, of up to 2½ miles. While the Javelin can target any kind of vehicle that emits heat, it is most potent against tanks because it can strike from the top. This is why it’s called a Javelin, like the spear thrown in track and field events that falls to the earth at a steep angle. Javelins can also fire directly at a target if there is protection above it, and can be used against low-flying helicopters.
What is Stinger?
The Stinger missile, officially known as the FIM-92A, is designed to give ground troops a way to deal with low-flying airplanes and helicopters. From the perspective of soldiers on the ground, low-flying enemy aircraft are normally a problem because they are either bombing or strafing (attacking repeatedly with bombs or machine-gun fire), doing surveillance work, or inserting, extracting and resupplying enemy troops. Shooting down these aircraft is the easiest way to eliminate these threats.
The Stinger missile includes the guidance, tail, propulsion and warhead systems. The tail has four folding fins that deliver roll and stability while the missile is in flight. The guidance section includes the seeker assembly, a guidance assembly, a control assembly, a missile battery and four wings that provide in-flight maneuverability. The warhead is equivalent to 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of explosives encased in pyrophoric titanium. The propulsion section includes a launch motor and a dual-thrust flight motor.
The Stinger missile can hit targets flying as high as 11,500 feet (3,500 meters), and has a range of about 5 miles (8 kilometers). This means that the target is an airplane less than 2 miles (3.21 kilometers) high and it is visible as a shape (rather than a dot), then most likely the Stinger missile can hit it. They are extremely accurate.
Javelin vs Stinger
- Both are lightweight and portable. The missile and it’s launcher weigh about 30 pounds. The launcher of both equipments is reusable.
- Both are shoulder-launched weapon, they are launched by one person.
- Both are passive infrared seeker. The infrared seeker locks on to the heat the target is producing.
- Both can be used at night.
- Both are “fire-and-forget” weapons, meaning they require no input from the gunner once it’s fired. This allows them to take cover, move to another position or engage a new target.
- The range of the javelin missile is 2,500m whereas that of Stinger is up 8000m.