[SamAdams76]

I have an uneasy feeling that the next big terrorist attack on the U.S. will involve shoulder-launched aircraft missiles. Imagine the havoc that would be caused if planes started falling out of the sky due to these things. Let's hope that our military is doing all they can to keep these things from falling into the wrong hands (such as engineering a "self-destruct" circuit).

[Darksheare]

Already happened.
Flight 800.
Was either an SA-14-16-18 family missile, or one of our FIM-92C's that we gave to the Afghani Mujahadeen.
The Taliban got most of the stinger's we gave the mujahadeen.
Some were sold on the black market.
That's where China bought the one they reverse engineered.

[JETDRVR]

I agree. Just a W.A.G , with out knowing the specs on any variant of SAM ,I would say the area of concern is the airspace say FL200 and below. I still have a hard time imagining how in any widebody airliner type you could "cut your signature and pull the nescessary 3.5+g turn to evade"
A former Boss (AF FACpilot) told me that "you have a prayer , .......providing you saw the launch"