Passenger Jets Get Anti-Missile Devices

[TallDutch]

Three American Airlines Jets Will be the First to Test Out the New Laser Jammers

WASHINGTON -- Tens of thousands of airline passengers will soon be flying on jets outfitted with anti-missile systems as part of a new government test aimed at thwarting terrorists armed with shoulder-fired projectiles.

Three American Airlines Boeing 767-200s that fly daily round-trip routes between New York and California will receive the anti-missile laser jammers this spring, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which is spending $29 million on the tests.

For more info check below link.

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTr ... 346&page=1 (http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTravel/story?id=4086346&page=1)

[pgengler]

Considering that the number of missiles fired at planes in the US is somewhere around 0, I'm wondering what sort of "test" they mean. Are they going to start giving people missile launchers, point the plane, and say "try to take out that one ... but only that one?"

[Matt Molnar]

"Officials emphasize that no missiles will be test-fired at the planes, which will fly between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and the international airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco."

The "test" is to examine fuel burn and maintenance issues.

[pgengler]

That'll teach me that maybe I should actually read the linked articles. Sorry about that.

[Matt Molnar]

:borat: