The constant threat of suicide bombings has drawn our attention away from another ever present terrorism threat – the use of MANPADS to down commercial airliners.A MANPADS is a portable shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile that is capable of downing a commercial airliner. Such weapons are in the arsenal of many insurgent groups, and there have been numerous examples of terrorists trying to get their hands on them.
There have been six attacks against commercial jetliners since these missiles appeared in the 1970s. Three were in Africa, one in Afghanistan, and two in Iraq. Of the six attacks, two (both in Africa) were successful in bring down the airliner. Rear-engined aircraft, such as the Boeing 727, are more susceptible to defeat.
The US government is engaged in the latter stages of MANPADS evaluation programme, which would see US commercial aircraft being equipped with counter-MANPADS pods, especially when they are flying into areas where MANPADS are considered to be a threat.
More on this story can be found by clicking below:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/c-manpads.htm
http://hstoday.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2611&Itemid=149
For a full explanation of what MANPADS are and how they work, click below.
www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/060101_manpads.pdf
