Raytheon and Diehl Defence to Co-Produce Stinger Missile Components in Europe
On August 19, US defense contractor Raytheon and Germany’s Diehl Defence announced a partnership to co-produce the FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile in Europe. Under a signed memorandum of understanding, the companies will expand Stinger manufacturing at Diehl’s German facilities as part of a planned growth program. The Stinger is a lightweight, self-contained air-defense missile used by ground troops against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones. Tom Laliberty, president of Raytheon’s Land & Air Defense Systems business, noted that “Stinger has become the surface-to-air missile of choice for 24 countries, including Germany and nine other NATO members.”
Recent conflicts drive Stinger’s resurgence. Demand spiked after 20 years out of production following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Thousands of Stingers were rushed to Kyiv to counter Russian aircraft, and the growing use of drones has underscored the missile’s relevance. Europe’s urgent rearmament is driving a rush to stockpile short-range air defenses. The co-production deal is meant to support increased global capacity for the Stinger amid this urgent continental rearmament. Raytheon and Diehl aim to shorten supply lines by localizing production and strengthening resilience so that NATO allies always have access to this vital capability.
Raytheon and Diehl emphasized that the memorandum serves as a framework to lay the groundwork for future production, rather than an immediate order. They point out that Diehl already has missile expertise – it produces the IRIS-T ground-based air-defense system and license-builds Raytheon’s AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in Germany. Diehl CEO Helmut Rauch and Raytheon’s Tom Laliberty said relaunching Stinger production in Germany builds on Diehl’s proven capabilities and bolsters NATO’s air defenses. Diehl is assessing various options for increasing production capacity at existing sites and potentially new facilities. Raytheon noted that future co-production in Germany will help meet international demand while enhancing Europe’s defense industrial base.
The Raytheon–Diehl deal illustrates how industry and allied governments are responding to strategic pressures. NATO’s short-range air defenses should become more robust and self-sufficient by enabling local production of this battle-proven missile. The partnership will help ensure that allied forces across Europe have secure, timely access to Stinger missiles as they prepare for future security challenges.