Ineffective against current missiles, worse than worthless.

i guess this proves we're winning the war oon'terror'. heh.

We gave the drunk-ass pilots guns in the cockpit- what's next? Gun turrets? Missiles? How about tracking/jamming capabilities? All these guys really need is a wet bar in the cockpit to be happy.

Well, when does the insanity stop? When every
plane in the sky is a flying fortress, every
airport a prison processing center, every city
a battleground, so forth, and so on? United
Global Police States of copnazi, here we come.
No doubt there'll be a ticket surcharge for
'security'. Didn't the Mob used to sell protection? What's REALLY going on, here?
P.S. Did you read about armor guy? 400 million
dollar bail?

Maybe in the future, there won't be big passenger airplanes, you'll just get into
your own personal individual mini-cruise rocket, and hope the parachute works for landing...maybe someday someone will build a plane around a Hayabusa...hmmmm....keep the peanuts and the hollywood drivel, gimme a Honda-built personal Skyscreamer...

Pointing a laser at a heat seeking missile to blind the seeker is all well and good but you first have to know that it's coming at you.

This means some sort of radar to detect the missile.

Launch within 4 miles of the end of the runway on takeoff or landing and the radar doesn't stand a chance. Too much ground clutter, not enough time to distinguish an IR missile from a bird.

And as numerous others have pointed, out, launch 3 or 4 and it's buh bye boeing.

The best missile defense would be for the US to quit pissing off millions and millions of Muslims worldwide with our intervention in their internal affairs.

Maybe a few have forgotten, but what OBL originally demanded was withdrawal of US troops from bases within Saudi Arabia. He wanted to kick Saddam Hussein's ass in Kuwait with his own troops/muhajadin/Taliban.

Instead, in comes Uncle Sam, who refused to leave even after Gulf War 1 was over.

It's difficult to keep risk in perspective.

6,000 teenagers died in car accidents last year. That's over one 747 per month.

How about some hi-tech defenses for them?

First up: Breathalyzer-starter interlocks.

Across all ages, 15,000 Americans die in ALCOHOL-related car accidents. That's over THREE 747's per month!

http://www.alcohol-breathalyzers.com/ALS21_article.asp

(Currently $1,000 each. But how much is your kid worth?)

I'd be happy if they just loaded the planes with enough FUEL to handle ATC delays without calling in "low fuel" maydays.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5747236

These people can't even get your luggage to your destination - and you expect them to install and maintain an effective anti-missile system? Please, this is all hype and bullshit.

Iran Air Flight 655 could of used one of those.

This is disgusting. First of all, it's an obvious boondoggle for the military-industrial-corporate complex.

Second of all, it's yet another sign of creeping fascism.

Third, this type of stuff does not make us safer. On the contrary, it makes us less safe. You become a target, and if you have a weapon you're likely to use it at some point.

This is going to give a big boost to rail and ship travel.

Yes Mr.President and the War Pigs of the Republican and Democratic parties, you have made this a safer world in which we live. Under your experienced leadership and guidance, we , as Americans, can sleep secure at night knowing that our beds may be the only safe place left in America thanks to you.

Wow, this is a depressing article.
To think we have come to this place - arming passenger aircraft with anti-missile devices!

We seem to be devolving as a species. :(

I'm not a lefty tree-hugger singing Kumbaya in a wheat field all day long - I get the threats we face in today's climate - but this story holds a strong tragic element to it, imho.

And, if those on the left hand side of the plane will look out their windows you will notice a missile heading up towards our craft....
Can't wait till we get some offensive capability on the plane so we can also strike back at these people...talk about blowing your offer of a free in-flight movie out of the water....Yeeeee-Haw

This is the first phase of a renewed fear mongering campaign timed to gather momentum coinciding with the next election.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Impeach