Surface-to-air missile. An artist's depiction of a Soviet surface-to-air missile system engaging two F-16 Fighting Falcons. A surface-to-air missile (SAM), or ground-to-air missile (GTAM), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of antiaircraft system; in modern armed forces, missiles have replaced most other forms of dedicated antiaircraft weapons, with anti-aircraft guns pushed into specialized roles.
Therefore, production year may directly affect the lifespan of your solar panel. The EU energy institute suggests that the large majority of solar panels produced in the last 10 years will have about a 30-year lifespan, as opposed to the 20-year lifespan previously estimated. New panels may reach up to 40 years of life.
The batteries are rechargeble (charged by the solar panels) and can generally last one to two years. Batteries should be replaced annually, since defective batteries can make your lights operate much less efficiently (or not at all). Some solar lights use NiMH batteries instead.