DHS Eyes Missile Defense For Airlines | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.22.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.16.24

 Airborne-FlightTraining-04.17.24 Airborne-AffordableFlyers-04.18.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.19.24

Join Us At 0900ET, Friday, 4/10, for the LIVE Morning Brief.
Watch It LIVE at www.airborne-live.net

Thu, Nov 13, 2003

DHS Eyes Missile Defense For Airlines

But It'll Take More Than Two Years To Get 'Em On Board

 
By this time next month, we should have some idea of who the government will tap to build an anti-missile system for the seven-thousand aircraft commercial US fleet. But it will be years before we see any fruit from this labor.
 
The Department of Homeland Security says it will award preliminary contracts to one or more of the following:
  • Northrop Grumman
  • Raytheon and Elta Systems Ltd., a unit of state-controlled Israel Aircraft Industries
  • Alliant Techsystems
  • and the U.S. unit of Britain's BAE Systems
 
The winner(s) will work on adapting existing anti-missile defense systems now used on military aircraft for civilian use.  After that, the government will give contractors 18 months to develop prototypes. Over the next two years, Uncle Sam will spend $100 million on these efforts.
 
That kind of money -- $100 million -- doesn't sound like much at the outset. But consider it an investment. Elta says it's already equipping two Israeli jetliners with its proprietary system at a cost of more than $1 million per aircraft. The carriers themselves will foot the bill beyond the first two installations. Bring the concept to America and do the math: $1 million each for 7,000 aircraft.
 
Yikes. That's a lot of dough.
It's even more if you consider that military-style missile defense system have to be replaced about once every 100 flight hours. That means more mechanics and other associated costs -- you're talking upwards of $15 billion a year, according to one estimate. Think about saddling the commercial aviation industry -- already struggling in the wake of September 11th -- with that kind of cost. It might be a good idea to start investing in Amtrak about now...
FMI: www.dhs.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.26.24): DETRESFA (Distress Phrase)

DETRESFA (Distress Phrase) The code word used to designate an emergency phase wherein there is reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and i>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.26.24)

Aero Linx: The International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) The International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) is comprised of Mission organizations, flight sch>[...]

Airborne 04.22.24: Rotor X Worsens, Airport Fees 4 FNB?, USMC Drone Pilot

Also: EP Systems' Battery, Boeing SAF, Repeat TBM 960 Order, Japan Coast Guard H225 Buy Despite nearly 100 complaints totaling millions of dollars of potential fraud, combined with>[...]

Airborne 04.24.24: INTEGRAL E, Elixir USA, M700 RVSM

Also: Viasat-uAvionix, UL94 Fuel Investigation, AF Materiel Command, NTSB Safety Alert Norges Luftsportforbund chose Aura Aero's little 2-seater in electric trim for their next gli>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 04.23.24: UAVOS UVH 170, magni650 Engine, World eVTOL Directory

Also: Moya Delivery Drone, USMC Drone Pilot, Inversion RAY Reentry Vehicle, RapidFlight UAVOS has recently achieved a significant milestone in public safety and emergency services >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne 04.26.24: Beta Alia 250, SPEEA v Boeing, Anti-Av Climate Attacks

Airborne-Flight Training 04.25.24: eDA40 Progress, LIFT-Tuskegee, U of OK

Airborne 04.24.24: INTEGRAL E, Elixir USA, M700 RVSM

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC