Russian armour failures imply enduring value of shoulder-fired missiles
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the utility of shoulder fired ATGMs and MANPADS when used by well-motivated defenders. Here, Ukrainian soldiers inspect the remains of a T-80BVM with its turret blown off. (Photo: Ukrainian MoD)
Shoulder-fired anti-tank and air defence weapons are proving their worth for Ukraine in its ongoing resistance against Russia – and these systems will remain in the spotlight whether through replenishing depleted stocks, finding new customers or increasing the capabilities of existing users.
The results of almost a month of fighting in Ukraine suggest that shoulder-fired weapons such as the FGM-148 Javelin ATGM and FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS will enjoy a bright future in the aftermath of the conflict.
Both weapons as well as an array of others, including the Piorun MANPADS from Poland, and the Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) from the UK, have featured prominently in photographs and video footage released by the Ukrainian MoD and national news outlets.
The footage, whilst admittedly one-sided, has provided plentiful evidence of the damage that well-motivated teams can inflict on the Russian armour and rotary-wing
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