What planning distance is used for Stinger employment?

• A. 8 km
• B. 5 km
• C. 2 km
• D. 10 km

Answer: (B)

Planning distance for Stinger employment is the range at which you plan and cue an engagement to ensure you stay within the weapon’s effective envelope and have enough time to detect, acquire, and fire the target. The Stinger has an approximate practical engagement range up to about 5 kilometers, so using 5 kilometers as the planning distance gives the crew a realistic, reliable window to identify the threat, cue the system, acquire the target, and compute a firing solution before the aircraft or missile exits range. Distances like 8 or 10 kilometers would push beyond what the Stinger can reliably reach, while 2 kilometers would shorten the engagement corridor unnecessarily and reduce the opportunity to manage the target’s approach. Hence, 5 kilometers is the appropriate planning distance.