The 22-pound Stinger is a short-range weapon. It can strike targets three miles away with a seven-pound warhead. “Avenger forces protect maneuver elements during lodgment, early-entry operations, shaping activities against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft attacks, cruise-missile attacks and observation by surveillance platforms,” the U.S. ArmyIt’s a last-ditch weapon, basically.
At that point, an Avenger or another short-range air-defense vehicle such as a Strela-10 or Gepard might be the brigade’sThere’s a catch. “Avenger systems should not be integrated into the maneuver force when contact is expected because it is a lightweight vehicle and is extremely vulnerable to direct fire, small arms and indirect fire,” the U.S. Army warned in its field manual. Even a determined rifleman could knock out an Avenger if he got close enough.
But Russia’s wider war on Ukraine has underscored how tenuous air-superiority can be, even for the bigger air force in a lopsided fight. Ukraine isn’t getting air-defense Strykers, however. Ukrainian brigades that plan to fight on the move during an offensive deep behind Russian lines andThat means deploying the unprotected vehicles where they can contribute to a brigade’s defense, butplacing them directly in harm’s way. The U.S. Army advised commanders to assign their Avengers to escort supply convoys, command vehicles and howitzers instead of mixing them in with the tanks and fighting vehicles.
They are 'cheap' mobile air defense units. Use them as a wide net for defensive use. They can drive to intercept incoming jets. Tanks and infantry in the front, light anti air vehicles with the mortars and mid range artillery.