“...is the Stinger the best portable AA missile that we have?”
Or is it more of a case of the Uke’s having enough money to buy the old style, along with expertise in the older technology?
I still use 20 year-old equipment for my work. Yes, the new stuff has some nicer bells and whistles and with some experience might make my job easier, but at my age I’m not going to put down $50k on a new system when my old one works just fine for what I need.
Maybe it’s the same with missiles?
Partly it is budget issues for any country. It certainly has been for the US. US war plans saw manpads as a low priority item, and if it were the US fighting this war this would most likely be a correct assessment. So why develop something new?
In the case of Ukraine since 2022, they have been getting Stingers for free, and because Stingers were available in large numbers, not because they are ideal. Ukraine isn’t doing cost-benefit analysis, they are just asking for what they can get.
Ukraine’s original manpad was the ex-Soviet Igla. But they ran out. So they have been supplied with a zoo of western and ex-Soviet manpads, not just Stingers. Polish Piorun, British Starstreak, more Iglas from various sources, even ancient Soviet Strela. Etc.