America just ran out of Stinger missiles and cannot make anymore

Twitter, Reuters ^

[Houserino]

It’s not overly top secret that IR sensors are in huge demand. They basically can’t keep up with it. I’m speaking only as an observer heh. They’re literally running reactors around the clock to make more.

[Tell It Right]

“95% of the 17 rare earth metals come exclusively from China and Russia”

That's by choice. We could get almost all of our rare earths from North America, most of them within the U.S.

The people who want to force us to "go green" and depend on rare earths more than ever -- all in the name of the environment, are the same people who block mining and processing rare earths -- out of concern for the environment.

[Bob434]

[[no more can be made because certain parts require rare minerals that are only found in Russia.]]

Well then let’s Invade Russia and get us some. They are preoccupied right now and won’t expect it.

“I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they’d never expect it.”

Jack handy

[BobL]

“Raytheon just said they cannot make any more stinger missiles, all of them have been given to Ukraine and no more can be made because certain parts require rare minerals that are only found in Russia.”

If we do get through this Ukraine crap without a nuclear war, perhaps we’ll be able to learn something when it comes to national defense. F-n IDIOTS.

[Bonemaker]

Figure it out...Improvise, adapt, overcome.

[JonPreston]

Does this mean that Biden won’t be able to use Stingers on American citizens?

[Vendome]

BS

but, goodbye Ukraine...

[McGavin999]

Well how stupid are they to make something depending on our enemies.

[Pollard]

Since February, the U.S. has shipped 1,400 Stingers to Ukraine, according to an administration official. But sourcing more will be difficult.

The Stinger production line was closed in December 2020, said Pentagon spokesperson Jessica Maxwell. Since then, Raytheon Technologies won a contract in July 2021 to manufacture more Stingers, but mainly for international governments, according to the U.S. Army. The sole Stinger facility, in Arizona, only produces at a low rate.

The Pentagon has not ordered new Stingers for many years, but has ordered parts or made other efforts to increase its supply. For example, the Army is in the midst of a “service life extension plan” for some of its Stingers that were to become obsolete in 2023 and is extending what the military calls their “useful life” until 2030.

The Pentagon, which has thrown together weekly meetings to discuss surging weapons demand from Eastern Europe, met with a group of eight defense contractor CEOs in mid-April to talk over the supply of weapons to Ukraine, including the Stinger.

We quit making them. Army wants more. We will be making more but not for our army, for Ukraine. Who's paying for that? You are. Don't forget 10% for the big guy.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Good thing I stockpiled them when the gettin’ was good.

[Revel]

Not if there intended goal is to make it easy for someone else to invade us.

[SaveFerris]

Really got moving in 2008.

Meanwhile, the sheep 🐑🐑🐑 keep hoping to ‘get back to normal’ - things will never be normal again.

[M Kehoe]

Hi. Welcome to FR.

“exclusively”

Mostly, not exclusively. Whether it’s titanium, lithium, cobalt, etc, there are other sources. Just not currently economically viable. (Ex. Canada, Brazil, S. Africa etc)

5.56mm

[The Pack Knight]

I would be surprised if a Stinger has ever been fired in anger by an American soldier.

[BobL]

“How did they make stinger missiles in the 1980s, I think that is a major flaw, didn’t they ever imagine fighting Russia? What if we were fighting China and Russia allied with China? We need to source all war materials domestically, this is crazy.”

During the Cold War, the critical minerals we needed were available from 2 countries, the Soviet Union and South Africa.

Jimmy Carter, as part of his ‘Human Rights’ campaigns (i.e., overthrowing friendly governments because they’re not yet Jeffersonian Democracies) was ready to take out the White government in South Africa.

Thankfully, he was talked out of it.

[Vendome]

Lee Enfield rifles and Mosin Nagant rifles are nearly 100 years old but, still effective...

[captain_jonas]

They aren’t gonna admit that especially in news owned by arms sellers and their stockholders

[Grampa Dave]

captain_jonas
Since Apr 18, 2022

[Drew68]

The link does not support the claim that Stingers cannot be made because of lack of material from Russia.

We've been making Stinger missiles since 1981. I doubt we were buying parts from the USSR back then.

[Tupelo]

Strategy by “experts”.
Washington thinking at it’s finest.
My guess is they did not even have to consult with the Imbecile In Chief for help in the planning