FIM-43 Redeye

FIM-43 Redeye
Inert FIM-43 Redeye
Type	Man-portable surface-to-air missile
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1967–1995
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Vietnam War Soviet–Afghan War Nicaraguan Revolution Lebanese Civil War War in Afghanistan Salvadoran Civil War Mali War[1]
Production history
Designer	Convair
Designed	July 1959
Manufacturer	General Dynamics
Produced	1962–1971[2][non-primary source needed][disputed – discuss]
No. built	85,000
Variants	See Variants
Specifications (FIM-43 Redeye)
Mass	8.3 kg (18.3 lb)
Length	1.20 m (3 ft 11.5 in)
Diameter	70 mm (2.75 in)
Crew	1
Effective firing range	4,500 m (14,800 ft)
Warhead	M222 Blast-fragmentation
Warhead weight	1.06 kg (2.35 lb)
Detonation mechanism	Impact Fuze
Engine	First stage – Booster (Ejector): 3.3 kN (750 lbf) for 0.048 s Second stage – Sustainer: 1.1 kN (250 lbf) for 5.8 s
Maximum speed	Mach 1.7 (580 m/s)
Guidance system	Infrared homing

The General Dynamics FIM-43 Redeye is a man-portable surface-to-air missile system. It uses passive infrared homing to track its target. Production began in 1962 and – in anticipation of the Redeye II, which later became the FIM-92 Stinger – ended in the early 1970s (delivery of the last Redeye for the US Army was completed in July 1971)^[2][3] after about 85,000 rounds had been built. The Redeye was withdrawn gradually between 1982 and 1995 as the Stinger was deployed, though it remained in service with various armed forces of the world until quite recently,^[when?] being supplied via the Foreign Military Sales program. It was initially banned from being sold overseas, to avoid missiles falling into the hands of terrorist organizations. However, after the export ban was lifted, the weapon was never actually used by terrorists against civil aircraft, in contrast with other MANPADS. While the Redeye and 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7) were similar, the missiles were not identical. Nonetheless, the CIA concluded that the Soviet SA-7 had benefited from the Redeye's development.^[4]