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To: Spktyr

Interesting point.

Do they have any anti-missile systems on Airforce 1? Did they install it because its ineffective or because its a waste of tax payer money?

Just because you found a clever picture doesn't mean an anti-missile system wouldn't work. I suppose you believe the National Missile Defense Agency is a waste of money too?


47 posted on 04/20/2005 11:34:01 AM PDT by crab-boy
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To: crab-boy

Air Force One has a threat warning receiver, but it is intended for use against air to air missiles, which are usually fired from such a significant distance that evasion is an actual option. In addition, the aircraft is heavily armored and has suppressed-IR engines, as well as having chaff and flare dispensers. Again, most of this is aimed at the defensible air-to-air threat. The Secret Service's worst nightmare is someone with a MANPADS, because there's nothing anyone can do about it.

I'm not saying that anti-missile systems don't work, but right now there is no such thing as a practical active anti-MANPADS missile system mounted on aircraft. As of right now, the "laser countermeasures" are still troublesome, unproven, and unreliable at best. None have been put into production, all are still in development phase. The only working systems we have are automatic chaff/flare dispensers, and those won't fool a modern missile.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/laircm.htm

So, as I said earlier, all that putting a TWR on an airliner is likely to do is tell them that they're about to die.


48 posted on 04/20/2005 11:46:46 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: crab-boy

[Do they have any anti-missile systems on Airforce 1? Did they install it because its ineffective or because its a waste of tax payer money?]


"They" spend money extravagently to protect the President from attack because he's the single most powerful person in the world. Whether or not I consider this a waste of taxpayer money is irrelevent because the government spends the money anyway and a majority of voters don't seem to mind.

The President also has superfortified armored cars, a team of the worlds best hi-tech bodyguards, and other very expensive measures used to protect his person. If you want to lobby Congress to pass a bill that will supply every American with the same stuff on the idea that "If it's good for the President, it's good for everybody." then good luck.


51 posted on 04/24/2005 10:20:57 PM PDT by spinestein (Mostly harmless.)
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