Onboard systems help military aircraft to anticipate and avoid attacks from missiles, and in this post-9/11 era, efforts are mounting to quickly transfer that technology to the civilian realm. The FAA reauthorization act now in the works would create (in Sec. 427) a task force to hasten that process. Underscoring the urgency, The New York Times reported last Wednesday that the U.S. government several weeks ago secretly dispatched teams overseas to investigate the dangers of shoulder-fired heat-seeking missiles at civilian airports. Teams have been sent to Greece, the Philippines, Iraq, and elsewhere in Europe and Asia, the Times said. The task force proposed by the FAA bill would comprise members drawn from the Department of Transportation, the FAA, the Department of Defense, NASA, and aircraft manufacturers. The group would report to Congress within a year. The Times also reported last week that the Department of Homeland Security will open a special office to deal with the missile threat, and has asked Congress for $2 million in support. Two missiles fired from the ground narrowly missed an Israeli passenger jet in Kenya last November.
Concerns About Missiles Persist
Key Takeaways:
- Post-9/11, there is an urgent push to transfer military missile defense technology to civilian aircraft, driven by concerns over shoulder-fired missile threats and recent incidents.
- The proposed FAA reauthorization act would establish a multi-agency task force (DoT, FAA, DoD, NASA, manufacturers) to accelerate this technology transfer within a year.
- Concurrently, the Department of Homeland Security is opening a special office to address missile threats, and U.S. government teams have been secretly dispatched overseas to investigate these dangers at civilian airports.
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