BA may install anti-missile system
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Airways has begun exploring the idea of fitting its aircraft with anti-missile devices, an airline spokeswoman said Friday.
The airline -- the biggest in Europe -- is in preliminary talks with plane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing about installing the systems.
Airlines have taken a long look at protecting their planes from shoulder-fired missile attacks since last November's attempt to shoot down an Israeli charter jet in Kenya.
BA suspended flights to Saudi Arabia after authorities there broke up a cell that was reported to be planning to attack a British plane. Services only resumed on Friday. (Flights resume)
A sting last month also netted three people allegedly involved in an operation to smuggle a surface-to-air missile into the United States.
However, it is uncertain whether available technology would work on commercial aircraft and what the cost of outfitting their planes would be.
BA said it was too early to commit to using the technology. Fighter jets have long been equipped with missile deflection systems, but were not considered applicable to large commercial aircraft. A number of new systems are under development.
Shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles have raised concern among government and security officials because their portability makes them easy to use against commercial airliners.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates there are 750,000 shoulder-fired missiles in the world, and they are easy to obtain on the black market.
Aviation experts say developing and deploying such devices on commercial airliners would cost more than $2 million for each aircraft.
The cost would have to be passed on to passengers and airlines say that is not commercially viable.
But such systems do exist, including BAE Systems' MATADOR AN/ALQ-204 which have infrared deflectors fitted beside the aircraft's engines.
The company says the MATADOR system has been installed on several executive Gulfstream jets and is used to protect a number of heads of state.
