Jet with anti-missile system leaves LAX

[SUBMAN1]

LOS ANGELES - An MD-10 cargo jet equipped with Northrop Grumman's Guardian anti-missile system took off from Los Angeles International Airport on a commercial flight Tuesday, the company said...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070117/...r_anti_missile

[Letum]

I can't see airlines wanting to pay for this.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Letum

I can't see airlines wanting to pay for this.

I'm sure it depends on where they are flying into. The first day that when one of these airliners actually gets shot down though, it will become mandatory I bet.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I'm sure it depends on where they are flying into. The first day that when one of these airliners actually gets shot down though, it will become mandatory I bet.

Right!

In fact I think we're very lucky that this hasn't happened yet despite several attempts to do so.

Given the expense, I'm sure it'll be introduced within reason. Certainly there's no grounds for installing it on every single domestic-flying 737 in North America, since it's VERY unlikely something like that'd strike here first. Other parts of the world may be a different story.

[Kapitan]

Aircraft going in and out of hot point maybe such as the DHL A300's that go into baghdad and so on but it wont catch unless our sending your planes there and if there is a war no airline intelligent or thick is going to want to send £300 million quids worth of plane into that zone incase they do shoot it down.

the best thing that happend to aircraft as of recent is TCAS if they could modify that to alert of incoming missile attack then maybe the pilots could do some evasive monovers or have the cheaper option and put chaff on the planes.

[CCIP]

Most of these missiles would be IR guided though, wouldn't they?

And given the size of the aircraft/number of engines/their general lack of concern for concealing IR (or radar, for that matter) signatures, I'd say the chances of a commercial-sized jet out-manuevering a missile are pretty small. And you'd need a LOT of chaff/flares to spoof a missile off something that big :hmm:

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Right!

In fact I think we're very lucky that this hasn't happened yet despite several attempts to do so.

Given the expense, I'm sure it'll be introduced within reason. Certainly there's no grounds for installing it on every single domestic-flying 737 in North America, since it's VERY unlikely something like that'd strike here first. Other parts of the world may be a different story.

I have a picture of an airliner hit with an SA-7 - Let me find it. It just took the engine off, but didn't knock the plane out. He just turned around and landed - it was an MD-80 I believe.

-S

[Kapitan]

Depends a fair few are a fair few aint.

[Enigma]

Well, mandatory is a funny word when it comes to the FAA. After the Swissair 111 crash in '98. flammable material used in the aircraft's structure was blamed for a fire resulting in the loss of control and crash of the aircraft.
The FAA mandated it all be changed to a better material over a loooong period of time. And if im not mistaken, there are still plenty of aircraft flying with the old flammable material on board.....

[SUBMAN1]

This one got hit recently, but I can't find my MD-80 pic. This plane in the picture turned around and landed safely too though.

I found an isrealie airliner that got hit by a SAM too, but it also landed safely.

Maybe SA-7's are just good for taking out helo's. They don't seem to work on bigger jets.

-S

[Enigma]

the best thing that happend to aircraft as of recent is TCAS

Although, a missile wouldnt have a tronsponder for the TCAS to pick up.....

[Kapitan]

I know that, and hence why i said if they could adapt it.

[Enigma]

Alright! Keep yer hair on!

[ASWnut101]

Well, the SA-7 "grail" IS a anti-helo weapon, IR guided.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I found an isrealie airliner that got hit by a SAM too, but it also landed safely.

What case is this? There was one where AA missiles were fired at an Israeli airliner in Nairobi but they missed.

El Al planes have since been equipped with countermeasure devices. Of course that makes some people unhappy.