Gadgetopia

Passenger jets get anti-missile devices: Interesting to see this happen. It seems they’ve been talking about it since 9/11.

Tens of thousands of airline passengers will soon be flying on jets outfitted with anti-missile systems as part of a new government test aimed at thwarting terrorists armed with shoulder-fired projectiles.

Someone made an argument some time ago that airports should have anti-missile systems, not airplanes. A 747 cruises at 37,000 feet, while a Stinger has an effective range of about 15,000 feet, so there’s a relative short period of time on takeoff and landing when a plane will be in danger.