Anti-missile technology has been used by the military for many years. The military has many aircraft, large transports as well as small fighters, going in and out of places such as Baghdad. Do anti-missile systems work on these aircraft, particularly the larger transport types? If so, then install them on civil transport aircraft. If not, then further research and testing using military aircraft is needed. I fail to see why these systems now need to be “tested” on civilian B767s. Either they have already been proved to work by the military or they do not work. If they do work, then quit wasting time and get on with protecting the travelling public!
Note the comment above that the system under consideration only works against infra-red seeking missiles. A partial solution is no good. Aircraft must also have protection against radar, radio and wire guided missiles. Underestimating one’s enemy is a mistake. Do people really think that the sophisticated terrorist organisations we face will in future use only infra-red seeking missiles against aircraft, particularly knowing that the aircraft might be protected against such missiles? Of course not! They will soon get their hands on radar guided and other types of missiles that exploit the gaps in the protection. All round anti-missile protection is needed.
There have been many incidents of airliners being hit by missiles. Those mentioned by Outlook are just a start. Three more that I can immediately think of are the two Air Rhodesia Viscounts that were shot down and the DHL Airbus that stopped a missile at Baghdad two or three years ago. I remember an El Al aircraft being attacked by missile in East Africa a few years ago, although it seems this aircraft might have escaped because it had some sort of anti-missile protection.
This is a very serious threat that I feel is likely to increase. Unfortunately the half-hearted and foot-dragging way in which it is being handled does not give me any comfort that the travelling public is likely to receive meaningful protection against this very real risk anytime soon.