Have you met the Illuminate’s latest aerial nightmare, the Stingray (or Interloper) in Helldivers 2? These things are swift, slippery, and relentless, and if you’re struggling to take them down, you’re far from alone. They zip in like angry hornets, light up the skies with plasma death, and leave as quickly as they came, often before you’ve even lined up a shot. This guide will explain everything you need to know about how to beat Illuminate Stingrays, what weapons work best, and the sneaky ways you can even turn their attacks against their own faction.
What is the Illuminate Stingray (Interloper) in Helldivers 2?
The Stingray is the Illuminate faction’s new fast-attack aircraft that behaves more like a predator drone than a fighter jet. Unlike the Automaton Gunships that hover lazily in midair, Stingrays dart into combat, unleash a punishing plasma beam barrage in a straight line, and suddenly leave before you can say “Spear incoming!”
They have medium armor and no shields, which sounds like good news until you realize how little time they actually stay on the battlefield. They show up, hover briefly to line up their attack run, and then they’re gone. This fleeting window of vulnerability is when you need to act so fast reflexes and the right gear are very important in these conflicts.
When Do Stingrays Attack, and How Do They Move?
Identifying their attack pattern is key. Helldiver 2’s Stingrays don’t just roam but they have a peculiar behavior. First, they patrol the map’s airspace, scanning the ground and once a player or squad is targeted, the Stingray slows down to a near-hover and projects a glowing blue targeting beam in a long line across the ground.
Within seconds, the beam turns into a blistering plasma sweep that will absolutely wreck anything in its path, including other Illuminate units (more on that later). Once it finishes its strafing run, the Stingray exits quickly, so if you haven’t fired by then, you probably won’t get another chance, and you can’t even hit them at their fast speed.
Best Weapons to Use Against Interlopers
Because of how quick these aerial beasts are, not every weapon is up to the task. Sure, technically anything that can pierce medium armor can bring one down, but your regular Liberator isn’t going to cut it unless you’re absurdly accurate. So these are the best and most effective weapons to smash down these pesky jets:
- FAF-14 Spear: This weapon is the go-to lock-on solution. It needs some time to get a lock, which can be tricky during the brief hover window, but once it’s locked on, the rocket will chase that Stingray to the ends of the map if needed. Best used by someone on Overwatch who’s not actively tanking ground fire.
- GR-8 Recoilless Rifle: This one is my favorite for a reason. In case of a support role, the recoilless rifle will one-shot a Stingray if you land your hit during the hover moment. But it’s a manual aim tool with no guidance, so you’ll need good timing and clean aim under pressure.
- EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank: Think of it as a single-use recoilless rifle. It does the job just as well, but you’ll want to save it for when you’re fully sure you’ll connect; there’s no retry.
- R-36 Eruptor: It’s the best primary weapon option as its damage profile and shrapnel spread allow it to down a Stingray in 1–2 shots, assuming you can analyze their flight path. Since Stingrays move in pretty straight lines before strafing, it’s good for skilled players.
- Plasma Rifles – PLAS-101 Purifier / PLAS-1 Scorcher: Both of these can melt a Stingray down, especially during the hover moment. With the Purifier, don’t bother charging—just spam it. They’re even great to take the class of most other Illuminate units, so they’re solid all-around picks.
Let’s also consider the support weapons; the StA-X3 WASP Launcher has a fast lock-on than the Spear and is great for mobile players. It’ll chase Stingrays across the map. Meanwhile, the APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle is versatile, effective against most Illuminate enemies, and lightweight, but you’ll need to line up your shots manually.
Moreover, regular weapons like the P-113 Verdict or AR-23P Liberator Penetrator can beat a Stingray but it will take a lot of bullets and a lot of luck. These are better kept as backup or for times when you’re desperate and nothing else seems to work. But relying entirely on these only means gambling on the Stingray lingering just a bit longer than usual, which they rarely do.
There is one great tactic: bait the Stingray into wiping out other Illuminate units. Since its plasma beam doesn’t discriminate, you can lure mobs such as Overseers or Fleshmobs into its path. It requires accurate positioning and timing, but when done right, it removes a lot of trouble. But if you’re in the blast zone or under the falling wreckage afterward, you’re done.
Tips to Beat Stingrays
If you’re still struggling to bring these jets down regularly, here’s some advice based on everything above:
- Assign one player in your squad to air defense duty, using a Spear or WASP Launcher.
- Communicate and call out when a Stingray appears. It only gives you a few seconds, but that’s better than nothing.
- Take advantage of lock-on weapons if you’re bad at manual aim. Timing is still important, but you’ll get more consistency.
- Use their predictable movement to pre-fire weapons like the Eruptor and figure out where they’ll pause.
The Stingray in Helldivers is a big deal considering Illuminates. It’s part of a bigger faction evolution with new units and tactics as they get closer to Super Earth. We saw the Illuminate before but now we know why they’re one of the most dangerous in the Helldivers galaxy.
