[Freeper 007]

Surveillance and intelligence are likely to be better defences, say other experts

IOW...we will do absolutely nothing to protect planes from this type of attack.

[Coto]

"...the heat-seeking system requires time to adjust its flight and hit its target - if the target is less than 500 metres away, it can miss..."

Well..isn't that nice of them ?

Now then, the 'incompetent terrorists' can learn from their screwups and do even better (or worse) the next chance they get....

[Prodigal Son]

Never thought I'd see the day when passenger airliners had to have anti missile systems installed. Imagine the Flight Attendant briefings the flying public will soon be subjected to- no longer dealing with just putting on that oxygen mask and not inflating the life vest until you are out of the plane- but an additional ten to fifteen minutes of "counter missile procedures" and "securing your child during evasive maneuvers"...

"If you see a missile, don't wait to call the flight attendant- simply activate the heat decoys using the toggle switch located next to your television volume control..."

"Static lines run the length of the plane and are located in the ceiling of the aisles. On command you will stand up, hook up and shuffle to the door, jump right out and count to four- your parachute will deploy automatically once you are out the door. Please do not attempt to bring hand baggage if a parachute evacuation becomes necessary. There is no reserve chute. The space normally taken by the reserve has been replaced with extra ammunition you might find handy upon landing on the ground..."

"Enjoy your flight".

It's a wild world.

[SES1066]

The pilot of the 757 saw two plumes of smoke streak past the plane during take off.

The key here is this; did the pilot see the smoke trails coming or from the side? If so, then the attackers were incompetent! An IR seeking missle needs to have a sight-line on something really hot, an engine exhaust for example. Lacking that, it will probably just fly straight. The SA-7 GRAIL (Strela-2) man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude SAM system [Link is Word97 Doc] is similar to the US Army REDEYE, with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared homing guidance. The SA-7 was the first generation of Soviet man portable surface-to-air missiles. Although classed as "fire and forget" types, the missiles were easily overcome by solar heat and, when used in hilly terrain, by heat from the ground.

[robertpaulsen]

"Arkia has denied that its 575 airplane had such a system."

That's what I would say, too.

[BrooklynGOP]

Chechens are pretty using Strela...

[Fiddlstix]

Bump