Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) (Research Note 1)

Man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) are short-range surface-to-air missile systems intended for attacking and defending against low-flying aircraft. Most are easily handled by a single individual and are shoulder-launched. This Research Note (updated June 2017) provides a brief overview of the weapons’ history and development, and lists incidents where MANPADS have been used in attacks on civilian aircraft.

Also available in ARABIC (Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project translation), BCMS, and BULGARIAN.

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