Weapons

Analysts Worried About Economic Consequences of Shoulder-Fired Missile Attacks The proliferation of shoulder-fired missiles among militant groups in North Africa and the Middle East could have devastating economic consequences, according to experts. Concerns about the spread of man-portable air defense systems — often referred to as MANPADS — have become more acute because of the ongoing unrest in Libya, Syria and Iraq. Non-state actors have raided military arsenals in those countries, seizing large quantities of weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles.