Fri, Sep 05, 2003
...Than Hijackers
Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, told a radio audience
earlier this week that he fears missiles more than hijackers, as
potential threats to commercial aviation. "We live in a world where
these things are threats we didn't dream of a few years ago, but we
have also got to get on with our lives and not become neurotic
about it," he said.
He said he thinks that a defensive system similar to that on Air
Force One and some Israeli airliners might provide some protection,
against at lest some types of missile attacks. Some onboard decoy
generators, for instance, "...have the effect of sending the
missile off-course so it doesn't hit you."
The PM noted that all these systems are expensive, and that each
is effective against only a particular spectrum of threats.
Andrew Tongue, Australia's answer to the TSA's James Loy, said,
"The... question is, does al-Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiah, their
associates, have the intent to get these weapons?" He implied that
they do, alluding to last year's unsuccessful missile attack in
Kenya: "In the most recent recorded example of somebody trying to
use these weapons... they failed because they didn't use the weapon
properly, which is an indicator that training may not be as
up-to-date as some are predicting," Mr. Tongue said.
In only peripherally-related news,
The Australian reports that, "A former Qantas baggage
handler named by the CIA as an al-Qa'ida member has been linked to
an alleged Spanish leader of the terrorist network," but later
added that terrorist activity seems pretty sleepy in Australia:
"Only one person, Perth man Jack Roche, has been charged with any
links to terrorism since the September 11 attacks."
More News
Chaff Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft and allowed to drift d>[...]
“Today, XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947. I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding>[...]
“Teaming up with the EAA and Berlin Express for this event in Cincinnati will give warbird fans a unique opportunity to see the aircraft that helped defend freedom and gave t>[...]
Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot>[...]
Aero Linx: The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission was created by the 1935 Legislature to oversee the development of aviation in the state. The Comm>[...]