Elta expects US license for anti-missile system (for US commercial airliners) in Q1 2004

The license will enable Israel Aircraft Industries-Elta to supply the systems for thousands of US passenger airliners.

Dror Marom 29 Oct 03 15:08

The licensing process for the Israeli systems for countering missile threats to passenger airliners is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2004. Achieving this target will enable Israel Aircraft Industries subsidiary Elta Electronic Industries to commence sales and deliveries of its systems to hundreds of US airlines, operating 7,000 airliners.

Elta has signed a business agreement with US aerospace and missile manufacturer Raytheon (NSYE: RTN), which will be its strategic partner in the US.</P

Elta managing director Israel Livnat predicted that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would approve the system, called Safe Flight, within six months. Elta will supply the means of detecting missile threats to airliners, while Raytheon will supply the systems for disrupting missiles, which will probably use flares as diversions.

The system will be priced at $1.5 million. Elta said that the system would operate automatically when installed on airliners, without intervention by the airliner crew , and would not require training for the pilots.

This is what I love about FR. On any given subject, somebody will come out and state it will NEVER work.

If flares work on B-52's, B-1's, B-2's, and a whole host of military aircraft to spoff incoming missiles, what makes you think they won't work on commercial aircraft. I really would like to know.

El Al just installed them on their 747's on the Israel-Canada-LA route and are confident they will work.

The difference is, when a military pilot loads up his aircraft with a 4-G turn at the same time he punches out his flares, he doesn't have to worry about anyone in the back spilling their drinks.
Like I said, I'd like to see test reports where a straight and level heavy (drone) escaped a heat seeker using these military systems that expect some maneuvering going on.
This is "Let's install it and hope it works".

Passive IR countermeasures work, but I'm not volunteering for the live demo. For background, there's an excellent article in Jun/Jul 2003 Air and Space Magazine- "How Things Work: Infrared Countermeasures" The systems that cool the threat from heat-seeking missiles. by Sam Goldberg

Or try this google search: Passive IR Countermeasure

Installation of commercial airliner IR countermeasures is a red herring pursued by several US Senators (Feinstein), the ATA (Airline Transport Assoc), and ALPA (Air Line Pilots Assn). While using a MANPAD IR SAM to down an airliner is possible, it is unlikely. Airliners possess capabilities not seen with most military helicopters and fighters: Excess thrust with one engine out, Very high bypass (cool) engines, Minimal time operating within the vulnerable envelope, and the most important - No in-fuselage mounted engines.

If this nation is truly concerned about disruption of commercial aviation, we should concentrate on identification of individuals as highjackers and identifying and countering the effects of explosives in cargo, luggage, and carry-on. Potential explosives in cargo and luggage continue as the weak link. Explosive resistant baggage and cargo container research has continued to advance since Pan Am Lockerbie. All US airlines could be equipped with explosive resistant cargo and baggage containers for a fraction of the cost of IR countermeasure.

XHogPilot, out

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Elta expects US license for anti-missile system in Q1 2004