Three firms to research SAM defense for airliners
Six-month deadline to consider how to adapt military technology
From Mike Ahlers
CNN Washington Bureau
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United Airlines is one of three companies tapped to continue the missile-defense study.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it has selected three companies to continue research into ways to thwart shoulder-fired missile attacks on U.S. commercial aircraft.
BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman Corp. and United Airlines will each receive about $2 million to determine whether systems used on military planes can be adapted for use on civilian airliners, and to study associated safety, cost, maintenance and other issues.
Although terrorism experts say the low cost and easy availability of shoulder-fired missiles make them a concern, Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson said the announcement was not prompted by any specific or credible threat.
The timing "does not reflect any particular concern at the time," he said.
Shoulder-fired missiles have never been used against a civilian plane in the United States. But they have been used elsewhere.
In November, a DHL cargo jet was hit by what was believed to have been a shoulder-fired missile near Baghdad International Airport.
The missile struck one of the jet's engines, and the aircraft returned safely to the airport, its left wing ablaze. No one was hurt. Missiles have been fired several times at planes approaching the Baghdad airport.
In November 2002, a missile was fired at an Israeli charter airliner leaving Mombasa, Kenya. In that case, the missile missed.
The attack occurred at nearly the same time as an al Qaeda suicide bombing at an Israeli-owned resort hotel elsewhere in Mombasa. Ten Kenyans and three Israelis were killed in the bombing. (Full story)
In October, Homeland Security solicited proposals on ways to adapt existing antimissile technology to civilian aircraft.
Twenty-four contractors or consortiums submitted white papers. Five were selected to submit full proposals, before the field was narrowed to three.
The department said it would contract with the three to produce a plan to adapt military missile detection and countermeasure systems for civilian use.
The companies will submit an analysis of the economic, manufacturing and maintenance issues within six months, then test a prototype.
Capitol Hill critics have said the process has taken longer than necessary, but Homeland Security officials defended the program Tuesday, calling it "extraordinarily aggressive."
Antimissile devices on military aircraft typically use flares to lure away heat-seeking missiles. But the pyrotechnic flares burn hot and can ignite fires on the ground, especially if used at a low altitude.
That would create concerns in populated areas near U.S. airports, even if the risk were minimal, department officials said.
Some of the proposals call for the use of pyrophoric flares, which burn because of a chemical reaction and are less likely to cause fires on the ground.
Other systems emit lasers that confuse a missile's guidance system.
Homeland Security officials said any system they would recommend would likely be deployed only after significant comment from Congress, the administration, the airlines and others.
BAE Systems is a British aerospace and defense technology company with about $22 billion in annual revenues, according to its Web site. It designs, builds and supports products such as military aircraft, surface ships and submarines, radar, avionics and guided weapons.
California-based Northrop Grumman is a similar diversified company and a major U.S. defense contractor with approximately $25 billion in annual revenues, according to its Web site.
United Airlines is a major American passenger and cargo carrier with more than 3,500 flights daily around the world, according to its Web site. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in December 2002.
