Raytheon and Diehl Partner to Boost Stinger Missile Production in Europe
US defense giant Raytheon has partnered with Germany’s Diehl Defence to co-produce critical components of the Stinger surface-to-air missile in Europe.
The collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding, will see Diehl explore options to expand production capacity for the Raytheon-designed missile, built to counter low-flying threats such as drones and helicopters.
Diehl CEO Helmut Rauch noted that resuming Stinger production aligns with the firm’s expertise in air defense and strengthens its established role in the ground-based defense market.
First deployed in 1981, the Stinger MANPADS had been out of full-scale production for two decades until demand surged due to drone warfare and the Russia-Ukraine war. The US has supplied over 3,000 units to Kyiv, while Taiwan has been building its stockpile amid rising tensions with China.
Currently, the Stinger is undergoing a service life extension program, with nearly 1,900 refurbished in 2024, even as work continues on its successor, the Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI).
