Protecting Passenger Planes from Shoulder Missiles

Arutz Sheva ^ | 6-2-03

[SJackson]

The El-Op Company, of Israel's famed Elbit Systems, has completed a critical stage in developing an anti-shoulder-fired missile system for passenger planes. The new system is considered an important element in protecting civilian targets from terrorism.

A Ukrainian ground-to-air missile struck down an Israeli charter plane from Israel in Oct. 2001, killing all 64 passengers - mostly Israelis - as well as 12 crewmembers. A year later, on Nov. 28, 2002, unidentified terrorists fired 2-3 shoulder-launched missiles at an Israeli airliner that had just taken off in Kenya with over 260 passengers and crew on board. The missiles missed the plane.

The Hebrew website News First Class reports that El-Op's new MUSIC system (Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure) comprises an all-direction warning unit that provides the first warning of an approaching missile, and a laser scrambler that broadcasts signals causing the missile to miss its target. El-Op's laser system can deflect a wide range of missiles and is compatible with many other warning systems.

[Paleo Conservative]

The Hebrew website News First Class reports that El-Op's new MUSIC system (Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure) comprises an all-direction warning unit that provides the first warning of an approaching missile, and a laser scrambler that broadcasts signals causing the missile to miss its target.

What would be even better would be to have the system trace the missles's trajectory back to the launch point on the ground and also fire the laser at high power back to the terrorists who fired the missle. This could cause temporary or even permanent blindness in the terrorists.

[fightinJAG]

The El-Op Company, of Israel's famed Elbit Systems, has completed a critical stage in developing an anti-shoulder-fired missile system for passenger planes. The new system is considered an important element in protecting civilian targets from terrorism.

The development of some type of defensive system can't come soon enough. I sit at the train station and see the trains lumbering into the sky from Reagan National Airport. So vulnerable.

[fightinJAG]

No, trains do not lumber into the sky! That sounds like a "Yes" song or something.

trains=planes!

But I am sitting at a TRAIN station watching the PLANES while waiting for my TRAIN.

Good grief.

[subterfuge]

American companies also have these systems. They are not nearly cheap enough to put on commercial airlines yet but they exist for military use already.

[Centurion2000]

laser scrambler that broadcasts signals causing the missile to miss its target.

Sounds like a relatively high powered laser that attempts to blind the missiles seeker head.

Of course if something like this works but in the process blinds some poor schmoe on the street, the lawyers will have a field day.

[SJackson]

American companies also have these systems. They are not nearly cheap enough to put on commercial airlines yet but they exist for military use already.

This might be one of those rare instances where government involvement in private enterprises is justified.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Heat Seekers [TAD-IRCM anti-missile laser]

[Oztrich Boy]

laser scrambler that broadcasts signals causing the missile to miss its target.
Sounds like a relatively high powered laser that attempts to blind the missiles seeker head.
Of course if something like this works but in the process blinds some poor schmoe on the street, the lawyers will have a field day.

No. Quite low power designed to confuse, not blind. It uses a pulsating signal. The missile interprets the intermittent signal as not being quite pointed at the target and shifts aim looking for a steady signal, doesn't find it. But because the off-target signal is a liitle less pulsating, shifts more and eventually loses the target completely.