AIM-92 Air-Launched Stinger

[KJ_Lesnick]

I'm thinking considering the range the FIM-92 has, and considering how light it is -- imagine loading a butt-load of those in an F-22's missile bay, or in a streamlined pod under the wings of another fighter?  With the added speed and altitude of an aircraft launch it would have considerably greater range if it's seeker could acquire the target further than the motor could carry it.

[Hobbes]

Well, there is the AIM-92 variant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-92_Stinger) used on helicopters. It'd be an interesting addition to a fighter's arsenal, as you could carry 5 of them instead of a single Sidewinder. The kill probability is going to be lower though (smaller warhead, less energetic missile so less scope for terminal phase maneuvering), so you would need to launch a couple instead of a single Sidewinder.
Also it probably doesn't have off-boresight targeting, so you'd have to line up your aircraft before firing.

[scooter]

Although, it makes for some interesting possibilities for bomber self-protection (who don't have the luxury of dash or stealth *cough* BUFF *cough*), in the event of going to war with a *real* enemy.  Any fighter pilot's going to break off their attack when they a "MSL LAUNCH" warning

[Jschmus]

On that note, in Dale Brown's Flight of the Old Dog, the prototype Megafortress was armed with a tail turret that launched Stingers as "air mines".

The aforementioned Wiki article recounts a single use of the AIM-92 in combat.

An Iraqi MiG-25 shot down a Predator drone performing reconnaissance over the no fly zone in Iraq on 23 December 2002. Predators had been armed with Stingers, and were being used to "bait" Iraqi fighter planes, then run. In this incident, the Predator didn't run, but instead fired one of the Stingers after the MiG engaged with its own missiles. The Stinger's heat-seeker became probably "distracted" by the MiG's missile and so missed the MiG, and the Predator was destroyed. This was the first time in history a conventional aircraft and a drone had engaged in combat

[Zombolt]

Is this the precursor to the Macross Missile Pods?

[Iranian F-14A]

I seem to remember reading that at least for a min,the USAF did think about arming the B-52Hs with rearward firing Stingers to replace the 20mm. This was shortly before they just decided to do away with the guns and gunners all together.

Not sure about F-22s,but I could see mounting Stingers on say,AT-6s,EMB-314 Super Tucanos,maybe A-10s..There was a book,the title escapes me,but it showed of a drawing the weapons options layout of an Alpha Jet,and included AIM-92s.

[Hobbes]

That's 'Modern Air Combat' by Bill Gunston and Mike Spick. It shows the Alpha Jet with 4-packs of Stinger launch tubes.

[Zombolt]

You can use a lot of Stinger missiles vs Masses Drones, if there like the current generation of drones.

[Mossie]

Helstreak/ATASK (Air To Air StarstreaK, name changed when Shorts tried to market it for fixed wing ops) is another possibility.  It was being touted in the 90's for helicopter self defence & even as an offensive weapon when helo vs helo was in vogue, seemed promising then dissappeared off the radar.  The hypervelocity darts would make an interesting alternative to the conventional warhead used in the Stinger.

[Go4fun]

Rearward launching Stingers with proximity fuses would be real interesting.
*The Black Ace slid into the enemie's 6 O'Clock and waited for missle lock. Then as he pulled the trigger his 'Missle Lock' alarm went off and he saw four white 'Fingers of Death' reaching for his fighter.
As he rolled into evasive manuvers he realised he would not only be lucky to escape alive but his one missile launched had probably been destroyed.*
I imagine such a system keeping the home field laundry busy with shorts and pants cleaning.