The State Department has updated its fact sheet on Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) in light of its recent efforts to prevent terrorists and others from acquiring and using the shoulder-fired weapons.
“Since 2003, our cooperation with countries around the globe has led to the destruction of more than 32,500 excess, loosely secured, illicitly held, or otherwise at-risk MANPADS in over 30 countries,” the updated information from the department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said.
Countering MANPADS proliferation is a top national security priority since: “More than 40 civilian aircraft have been hit by MANPADS missiles since the 1970s.” Many of the strikes were in conflict zones.
The U.S. stepped up its efforts to keep MANPADS out of the wrong hands since a November 2002 attempted shoot-down by terrorists of a civilian airliner in Kenya.
The White House tapped the State Department, supported by the Defense Department and coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security, to lead U.S. international efforts countering MANPADS.
The fact sheets provide descriptions, origins, and examples of attacks, while highlighting U.S. efforts to counter them.
MANPADs were designed by national military forces to protect troops and facilities; however, they are not the same as rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). The RPG is an unguided weapon used mainly against ground targets and is generally ineffective against aircraft except at very close range. MANPADS, which generally come in command line-of-sight and laser beam riders, are operator guided to strike an aircraft, while the infrared version homes in on an aircraft heat source–an engine or exhaust.
MANPADS are particularly attractive to terrorists, the bureau said, because they are easy to “transport, conceal and use,” and because a successful attack has serious consequences for the international civil aviation industry.
About 20 countries have produced or have licenses to produce MANPADS or their components, the bureau said.
“It is estimated that more than 1 million MANPADS missiles have been manufactured worldwide since they were first produced in 1967,” the fact sheet said. While the United States believes most of the systems are stockpiled by nations or destroyed, “thousands have not been accounted for.”
The United States strictly controls production, storage and transportation of its MANPADS and is careful about selling them to ensure they are properly secured and not sold or transferred to others without U.S. consent. On the black market, MANPAD costs can range from a couple of hundred dollars to more than $100,000, which puts them in range for acquisition by terrorists or others.
“The most proliferated type of MANPADS is the first-generation, infrared-homing system designed by the former Soviet Union, known as the SA-7B, and is the most commonly held by terrorists, the bureau sheet said.
One way the State Department works to counter the MANPADS threat is by chairing an interagency task force implementing the United States International Aviation Threat Reduction Plan, which is part of the broader National Strategy for Aviation Security to protect global aviation from MANPADS attacks.
State also leads the effort to engage foreign government officials to partner with the U.S. government in bilateral and multilateral efforts to reduce the threat.
Part of this work is the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. It helps other nations better secure or eliminate their MANPADS.
Additionally, the Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation works to emphasize export controls to counter illicit transfers of the technology or MANPADS.
DoD supports international negotiations by providing expertise on management and control, and enforcing strict physical security and accountability for U.S. MANPADS.
It established the Golden Sentry program to monitor the end use of MANPADS sold through Foreign Military Sales, and conducts a “100 percent inventory check of these MANPADS annually.” Golden Sentry also is supported by the Army, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Other government efforts involve the Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department and the FBI.
This year, the United States helped launch the MANPADS Contact Group, a multilateral initiative formed by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and United States with the primary function to coordinate each nation’s efforts to counter illicit proliferation of MANPADS.