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Missile

Soon, laser-based missile defense systems may become standard equipment on passenger aircraft. American Airlines is planning to add these missile deterrents to some of their cross country flights, in response to what they believe is a very real terrorist threat.


American Airlines

American airlines is working with BAE Systems, a government defense contractor, to develop this system — known as JETEYE. JETEYE is designed to to detect infrared based missiles using multi-spectral processing and a bank of sensors. Once detected, an on board laser will disrupt it’s course causing it to, as their brochure describes, “fly harmlessly away from the aircraft.” The system has been approved by the FAA and BAE says that it can detect and defeat all modern missiles.

American Airlines is concerned about the 150,000 or so shoulder to air missiles on the black market and in the hands of 27 different terrorist organizations. They hope that this system will take over where airport security leaves off, protecting the plane from would-be attackers who have positioned themselves in the area surrounding the airport.

Each unit costs about $1 Million dollars and several units will be installed as a test case on cross-country flights from LA to New York. If the tests are successful, these units could find their way into other airlines in the not too distant future.

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