this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2026
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Notably absent... the explosives.
But sure, if you are wondering how folks out in Yemen or Gaza managed to retaliate against their oppressors for so long, this is a textbook example of how and why. What's being proposed is collection of technology we've had since at least the 1960s that's slowly made its way into civilian circulation.
Also...
I mean, we're seeing what "just-launched prototypes with no effective track record" have accomplished on the Ukraine-Russia front-lines and it's a decidedly mixed bag.
I think a harder question to answer is "Who would be interested in putting one of these into practical use?" And that gets to the real value-add of a Stinger MANPAD. Namely, the humans willing and practiced enough to use it.
Also - and again, this cannot be overstated - the model above has no explosives installed. Idk how confident I'd be around one of these things if it was actually armed.
I synthesize energetics. I can make a primary explosive that is stable enough for cap usage with a solo cup. I can synthesize secondaries like RDX above (one of the more complicated common ones) in short order with a basic chemistry set and the internet to order basic reagents. None are controlled substances.
It is trivially easy to make effective shapes charges and energetics at home.
Synthesis is federally legal in the US so long as you do not assemble into a device or transport. You can do both with an SOT as an FFL.
If I wanted to, I could make a shaped charge that was point imitated and base detonated for the above projectile and it would punch through about 1.5 feet of homogeneously rolled steel.
The limit to threat is not the access to explosives, as the chemistry and processes are published freely online as easy to replicate. The drone parts and control surface actuation is by far harder and I say this as someone who has a professional background in computer science and software engineering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrzxSOtj33s
The model rocket community has this one sorted.
Oh the ones from BPS space are even more impressive with adjust on the fly tracking to 3D points and launched from a VLS he made himself.