The Interagency MANPADS Task Force: Building Partnerships to Protect Global Aviation

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-weapons-removal-and-abatement

THREAT. Since 1970, terrorists and other non-state actors have hit over 60 civilian airliners with Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), usually referred to as shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. The illicit diversion of MANPADS to terrorists, criminal organizations, and insurgents, is a global concern. Thirty-one non-state actors currently possess MANPADS and another 26 are suspected to have acquired them.

RESPONSE. In 2006, National Security Presidential Directive 47 (NSPD-47) established a comprehensive strategy for aviation security to guide the U.S. government in dealing with evolving threats to aviation. NSPD-47 includes the International MANPADS Threat Reduction Plan, which established the Interagency MANPADS Task Force (MTF). The MTF coordinates a comprehensive approach to counter illicit MANPADS proliferation and reduce the threat of those held by terrorist groups and other violent nonstate actors. The MTF consists of representatives from several U.S. government agencies and is chaired by the Department of State.

CONTEXT. MANPADS were first developed in the 1960s to help legitimate armed forces defend against air attacks. A single individual or crew can carry and fire MANPADS. Their small size makes them easy to transport and conceal. The most commonly produced types can fit into an automobile trunk. In the hands of terrorists, criminals, or other non-state actors, MANPADS pose a serious threat to commercial and military aircraft around the world.

Arms traffickers and violent extremists have looted MANPADS and other advanced conventional weapons from unsecured state stockpiles in Libya, Syria, and Yemen, making efforts to reduce the threat to aviation even more crucial. PM/WRA’s stockpile security management and CWD programs have reduced over 41,000 at-risk MANPADS worldwide and remain critical to preventing further illicit proliferation of these dangerous arms.

Most MANPADS consist of a missile enclosed in a tube, a reusable trigger mechanism (“gripstock”), and a battery or battery cooling unit. The tube, which protects the missile until it is fired, is disposable. The battery powers the missile’s systems for a short period prior to launch. MANPADS are usually 1.2 to 2 meters (4 feet to 6.5 feet) long, about 76 millimeters (3 inches) in diameter, and weigh about 13 to 25 kilograms (28.6 to 55.1 pounds). They can travel at twice the speed of sound and hit aircraft flying as high as 6 kilometers (about 20,000 feet) out to a horizontal range of up to 5 kilometers (3.1 miles).

ENGAGEMENT. The MTF partners with other countries to advance cooperation on MANPADS threat mitigation and counter-proliferation initiatives. These partners have a vital role in raising international awareness, curbing illicit proliferation, and mitigating local and regional MANPADS threats.

The MTF also helps countries incorporate MANPADS recognition training into their border and security training programs. This teaches their essential personnel to recognize and seize MANPADS and other advanced conventional weapons if discovered. In 2019, over 630 individuals from 29 countries received the training.

Finally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration has conducted approximately 75 MANPADS Assist Visits (MAV) and basic training programs at airports around the world. MAV and related training programs help build the capacity of foreign countries to identify and mitigate potential MANPADS threats at international airports.

Photo courtesy: Eighty-eight Strela 2 MANPADS, which are excess to the Kyrgyzstan government’s national security needs, are prepared for destruction. Photo courtesy of ITF.