Guvnor
It is refreshing to hear views such as those of yours that are obviously informed. I would be interested to know your background.You are quite correct I am RDPG now but I was SO19 prior to this. If we are to have armed or unarmed security on an airliner we are talking about protection are we not.One of the basic principles of protection is a show that 'we are here and you have got to got through us first'. When we protect the PM or Royalty we don't send them out on their own and pretend they have no protection and then pounce should something happen.No we have uniformed officers all around and obvious personal protection officers around the principal.Overt protection(skymarshalls if you like) are what is required on an airliner.
Tony Draper
A low grain semi jacketed 9mm round would not penetrate an airframe structure on a PA28 let alone an airliner.They travel at approx 1450 feet per second and kinetic energy is dissapated over a 6 feet square area.It is no secret that if you get shot by a police officer with a handgun on a winters day with your thick coat and jumpers on you will probably still make the pub for last orders. No specialist rounds would be required in an aircraft,