U.S. checks airports for missile threat

Reuters | 3/05/03

[kattracks]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are checking large airports to see how vulnerable airliners might be to shoulder-launched missiles, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

Citing law enforcement authorities and an airport official, the newspaper said Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Security Administration officials began visiting airports in the past week. By studying the airports, authorities are trying to figure out where someone might position himself for an attack, the newspaper said.

Authorities say the FBI-TSA assessments will be done at about 80 airports in coming weeks. "We're looking at the layout of the airport," one FBI agent familiar with the visits told the Journal.

That includes everything from flight paths to buildings and open areas in the vicinity of the airport, according to the newspaper.

U.S. intelligence officials have no "credible, specific information" pointing to a future attack on U.S. civilian airliners, a Department of Homeland Security official told the newspaper.

Areas of concern include airports with public parks or large bodies of water near runways, such as Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles International, from which an attack could be launched by boat.

The assessments will be turned over to authorities responsible for providing security at each airport, an FBI agent familiar with the action told the newspaper. It was unclear what airports will be required to do once the assessments are complete, or who would pay for any changes recommended, the Journal reported

[missnry]

Hmmmmm .... didn't mention JFK Airport....
No, TWA 800 wasn't downed by a missile..

[Kudsman]

The spiders have us hacked. I know they have some of our threads. The commies took one from me Monday night. Dont answer or believe anything frenchy. Read my bookmarks.

[DainBramage]

It wouldn't be hard to shoot down a plane on approach or on take off even from 2-3 miles out.

They are low and slow for a long way and on predictable flight paths depending on the wind.

I am suprised that they haven't shipped a large midlabeled package via Fed-Ex

with a altitude detonator set to go off when the plane gets back down to 2000 feet.

[libertylover]

Well, I hope they don't disclose their findings and tell everbody where is the best place to stand if you want to fire a shoulder held weapon.

[First_Salute]

assessments will be done at about 80 airports in coming weeks

Indeed, what should have been done on Sept. 12, 2001, has taken all these months of creating a large federal bureaucracy consuming hundreds of millions of dollars ... to plan to do ... somewhere in the future ...

[Glenn]

The Pittsburgh Airport is one place it would be easy for them. The approach is right over a massive shopping complex. I'd guess their altitude to be several hundred feet as they pass over. I've had the thought dozens of times that an airliner would have no chance against an attack.

[ArcLight]

It's depressing to think they've only just begun to do this...

[Nowhere Man]

The Pittsburgh Airport is one place it would be easy for them. The approach is right over a massive shopping complex. I'd guess their altitude to be several hundred feet as they pass over. I've had the thought dozens of times that an airliner would have no chance against an attack.

I live near the Pittsburgh airport myself, planes fly over my house all the time. I think what wouls be a help is if we equip all passanger planes with anti-missile flares and chaff. I've seen the system they have on the C-130 and it should be do-able for commercial planes too. The latest system is even automatic, it scans for missiles and threats and shoots chaff or flares as the case may be.

I can probably think of a lot of places here where baddies can hide but I'm sure most airports have their share of them too. Hopefully the Feds are doing their job in addressingthis threat.

[karatemom]

I fly out of Pgh...
Please don't give them advise...

[Revelation 911]

I can envision a day when the govt says owners of structures within such and such zone need to advise the airport beforehand when you desire to access your roof top

Our shop is adjacent to the Air Natl Guard and our 2 story building is literally within 1/10th of a mile of the runway.

We were told to stay off the roof when the Blue Angels performed last year

[Nowhere Man]

I fly out of Pgh...
Please don't give them advise...

Don't worry, I won't. In fact, I look out every so often to see if "there is something out of place," keep my cellphone and ham radio handy, and my .22LR rifle ready to go if it came down to that. I'm just saying that I'm sure all airports have such places and I hope to God the Feds and local authorities are aware of them and keep an eye out. Also I think it would be good for citizens near airports to do what I do and report any funny business ASAP. We are all on the frontline here and need to do our duty if there is something we see that doesn't look kosher.

Even way before 9-11, this has been a concern of mine as well.

Notice to and Feds and other reading this, do your jobs. B-)