November 10, 2004
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PROTECTING AIRLINERS FROM TERRORIST MISSILES (CRS)
U.S. government officials acknowledged last weekend that thousands
of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles once held by Saddam Hussein's
Iraq
are missing, as reported by the New York Times (11/6/04) and the
Washington Post (11/7/04).
The threat to civilian aviation posed by such missiles (formally
known as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems or MANPADs) was addressed
in a recently updated report from the Congressional Research Service.
See "Homeland Security:
Protecting Airliners from Terrorist Missiles," October 22, 2004.
DEFENDING U.S. AIRSPACE (CRS)
"Protecting U.S. airspace may require improvements in detecting
aircraft and cruise missiles, making quick operational decisions,
and intercepting them," according to a newly updated report from
the Congressional Research Service.
"A number of options exist in each of these areas. A variety of
issues must be weighed including expediency, cost, and minimizing
conflicts with civilian aviation."
CRS policy prohibits direct public access to its reports.
But see "Homeland Security: Defending U.S. Airspace," updated October
13, 2004:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RS21394.pdf
A related CRS report "examines the strengths and limitations of
deploying unmanned aerial vehicles along the borders." See "Homeland
Security: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Border Surveillance," June
28, 2004:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RS21698.pdf
© 2004, Federation of American Scientists.
All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not
necessarily reflect those of Military.com.
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