How Removing a Handful of Screws Allowed the Pentagon to Deliver Stingers to Ukraine

WSJ ^ | 08-MAR-2022 | Michael R. Gordon

[SpeedyInTexas]

In the late fall of 2021, as Russian forces massed at the border of Ukraine, U.S. lawmakers pressed the Pentagon on why the Biden administration wasn’t sending Stinger antiaircraft missiles to help Kyiv. The option wasn’t available, they were told, because the weapons in the U.S. inventory contained classified equipment.

Months later, the Pentagon came up with a solution to the problem. By removing several screws, the military was able to withdraw a sensitive item from the missile’s hand-held launcher, opening the way to sending the weapons from U.S. stocks.

[SpeedyInTexas]

And now we know why US didn't supply stingers early on and asked Baltic countries to forward stingers. The Baltics had a stinger export version.

[blueunicorn6]

Come and get your Stingers!

It’s like Christmas!

What could possibly go wrong?

[taxcontrol]

I would love to see the power of opensource applied to both anti tank missiles and to anti aircraft missiles.

[Yo-Yo]

The full article doesn’t say, but since the classified “item” removed was in the launcher, my guess is that it was some form of IFF module that containes classified U.S. IFF codes or other IFF information.

[DiogenesLamp]

Come and get your Stingers! It’s like Christmas! What could possibly go wrong?

If you think that's bad, this business of giving fighter jets to Poland so that Poland will give Ukraine Mig-29 fighter Jets, puts the USA very close to being a participant in the Ukraine/Russia war.

This stuff may get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.

[Navy Patriot]

By removing several screws, the military was able to withdraw a sensitive item from the missile’s hand-held launcher, opening the way to sending the weapons from U.S. stocks.

Biden then had the US military re-install the screws in the American Public.

[euram]

I call it the Pentagram.

[DiogenesLamp]

The full article doesn’t say, but since the classified “item” removed was in the launcher, my guess is that it was some form of IFF module that containes classified U.S. IFF codes or other IFF information.

Years ago I ran across a webpage that detailed all sorts of particulars about the stinger missile design, and one of the things I remember is that if the stinger is aimed at a friendly aircraft, it will veer off and not hit it.

It was my understanding that the missile could in flight identify friend or foe, and the mechanism was infrared emitters on our jets sending out a "friendly" signal of some sort.

I wouldn't think the "item" would be in the launcher, because it is the missile itself that needs to detect whether an aircraft is friendly or not.

Perhaps it's some piece of software that immediately uploads into the missile when you pull the fire trigger?

[oblomov]

Why are we sending weapons to Ukraine?

We have problems with tyranny here in the US.

[dforest]

Nothing like broadcasting your secrets. It’s like voila’ ain’t we smart dudes.

[jz638]

And just like that, the concept of the 80% lower has entered the war.

[ealgeone]

IF I were 18 I’d be a little worried.

[Chode]

thank you...

[WMarshal]

"If you think that's bad, this business of giving fighter jets to Poland so that Poland will give Ukraine Mig-29 fighter Jets, puts the USA very close to being a participant in the Ukraine/Russia war.

The article states that Poland is giving the MIG fighters to the US and they will, if they fly to Ukraine, leave from Rammstein Air Force Base in Germany. The Polish government put the ball in Germany's and the United States's court.

I think they called their bluff. The Biden Regime was hoping Poling would be on the hook for retaliation and not America.

[larrytown]

Likely one of the many reasons that there will be no ‘no-fly’ zone - God only knows how many AA missiles and artillery just blasts away at anything that moves nowadays.

[DiogenesLamp]

IF I were 18 I’d be a little worried.

Yup.

[DiogenesLamp]

The article states that Poland is giving the MIG fighters to the US and they will, if they fly to Ukraine, leave from Rammstein Air Force Base in Germany. The Polish government put the ball in Germany's and the United States's court. I think they called their bluff. The Biden Regime was hoping Poling would be on the hook for retaliation and not America.

I think you are right and I think the Poles have a more intelligent government than we do.

[Mount Athos]

I wonder how much they will be resold for on the black market

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Opensource is needed first in voting machines.

[shotgun]

They must have installed that fail safe after TWA 800. /S