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US personnel have fired FIM-92 Stinger missiles for the first time during a live-fire exercise as part of Super Garuda Shield 25 in Indonesia.
Soldiers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division used the FIM-92 Stinger man-portable, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile during the live-fire exercise alongside Indonesian armed forces. Around 100 service members from the United States, Indonesia, Australia and Canada supported the event.
The missile system is designed to destroy low-flying aircraft including fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aerial systems.
“Today, we are shooting two Stinger missiles … Not only is this a first for the whole 11th (Airborne Division), but it is also the first time that we are utilising this capability in Indonesia,” said US Army Captain Kaden Cox, lead planner and officer in charge of the live-fire exercise.
“Maintaining safe skies is essential for operations.
“It has been great working with our partner nation … The Indonesian citizens have been more than friendly and helpful in working with us to coordinate airspace and ranges.”
Super Garuda Shield is an annual exercise between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and US military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities and cooperation.
The exercise was designed to give non-commissioned officers in attendance a chance to evaluate training, build confidence in their soldiers and validate the importance of bringing these skills into a realistic training environment.
“I am glad we had the chance to come out here and engage the target effectively, like we are trained to do,” 11th Airborne Division Infantryman Army Sgt Rogelio Munoz said.
