In the 1950s, the development of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) began in the United States, the Soviet Union, and elsewhere as a response to the increased speed and maneuverability of jet combat aircraft. In this book, noted authority Steven J. Zaloga charts the development, combat use, and influence of MANPADS, from the late 1960s to the present day. Besides examining the missiles and their launch systems, he also surveys the various methods developed as countermeasure to the MANPADS threat. The first generation of MANPADS, such as the US Army's Redeye and the Soviet Strela-2, saw combat use in the Vietnam War in 1972 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The next generation of infrared-guided MANPADS, such as the US Stinger and Soviet Igla, came to prominence following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Since the 1970s, MANPADS have been used in innumerable wars, border conflicts, civil wars, and insurrections, notably in Ukraine in 2022. Using specially commissioned artwork and carefully chosen photographs, this book assesses the technological evolution of the MANPADS and explores their combat usage and the lessons from these encounters.