Hmm
Methinks the real story will be when Congress and the industry eventually wakes up to the fact that you can fire MANPADS non-suicidally to an even greater obliquely-downwards range from a helo or light aircraft.
The advantage of doing it that way is that you defeat existing military, Israeli's El Al, Air Force One (and planned/under development) detection sensors and sensor auto-response active defence measures (whose aircraft under-belly mounted sensors and counter-measures only cover the downwards looking hemisphere).
Anybody who's done any meat-bombing from SE airplanes know how easy it is for a number of chutists (shootists) to hang off a door-step and wing-strut (and direct the exhaust across the upper mainplane of a Cessna (say)). All the terrorists need to do is pick out a target of opportunity whilst overflying a terminal area at height. Door already off or inflight-jettisoned enroute, it still works. With the chopper you just have to bank at the appropriate moment and direct the missile exhaust out the opposite (open) door.
By the time the system starts running around in circles and double-checking their airport perimeter and environs, you're either miles away or back at your OLA (Ordnance Loading Area).
Add "upwards" and "downwards" thinking to the "lateral" thinking, you think-tank experts. Solutions to this conundrum to Congress and you'll probably get a blank check in return.
Unfortunately (see below) the proliferation problem already exists - as proven by Iraqi experience. "Ground-based" defences? Right.
The full House of Representatives on July 23 in a 423-0 vote passed H.R. 4056, which includes "interim" measures to counter the threat of shoulder-fired missile attacks on commercial aircraft. The bill also supports further work in ground-based defenses against the missile threat, often referred to as man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). The vote was taken just before the Democratic National Convention in Boston. The bill, also called the Commercial Aviation MANPADS Defense Act of 2004:
* Requires FAA to expedite, "when appropriate," the airworthiness certification of aircraft-based defense systems for commercial aircraft and avoid duplicating DHS research and development efforts.
* "Encourages" President Bush to continue programs to reduce the number of MANPADS available worldwide by urging him to urgently pursue bilateral and multilateral treaties that would limit their distribution.
* Requires the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress in one year on vulnerability assessment reports the department is conducting at U.S. airports, and on "any ground-based defense policies or procedures recommended through that process."
The bill was sponsored by House Transportation aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.), ranking member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), and Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.). Mica said that a $100 million research and development program at DHS is making "significant progress," and Congress wants FAA to be able to respond rapidly with certification if and when systems are approved.
Back to the drawing board boys