WASHINGTON — It could be 20 years before every U.S. passenger airplane is outfitted with a system to protect it from small portable missiles, according to a government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press.
Under a test program, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman developed laser-based systems over the past two years that still don't meet the reliability standards set by the Homeland Security Department, the report said.
"The prototype units are capable of partially meeting the Department of Homeland Security performance requirements," the report said.
The possibility that shoulder-fired missiles could take down commercial airliners in the United States is considered real. They're portable, common and relatively inexpensive.
Though no terrorists are known to have smuggled shoulder-fired missiles into the U.S., the FBI arrested two men in Albany as they were trying to buy some nearly two years ago.
Terrorists linked with al-Qaida are believed to have fired two SA-7 missiles that narrowly missed an Israeli passenger jet after it took off from Mombasa, Kenya, in November 2002.
According to intelligence estimates, at least 24 terrorist organizations possess rocket launchers, the report said.
They are also known as "man-portable air defense weapons," or Manpads.
Congress agreed to pay for the development of the systems to protect the planes from such weapons, but balked at proposals to spend the billions needed to protect all 6,800 commercial U.S. airliners.
"Ultimately, Congress is going to determine whether it wants to support a wide-scale deployment of Manpads countermeasures to the aviation industry," said William Knocke, Homeland Security spokesman.
Under pressure from Congress in 2004, the Homeland Security Department gave Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems Plc $45 million each to adapt military missile defense systems so they can be used by airlines. Military systems require too much maintenance — and fire by mistake too often — to be used on a passenger airliner.
Both BAE and Northrop systems use lasers to jam the guidance systems of incoming missiles, which lock onto the heat of an aircraft's engine.
According to the report, tests showed:
They can be installed on commercial aircraft without impairing safety;
At least one company can supply 1,000 systems at a cost of $1 million each;
It will cost $365 per flight to operate and maintain the systems, more than the $300-per-flight goal;
The systems aren't reliable enough yet for commercial use.
John Meenan, executive vice president for the Air Transport Association, questioned whether the cost of such systems matches the security risk.
"The counter-Manpads proposals we have seen reflect more vendor say so than security prioritization," said Meenan.
Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who supports widespread deployment of the systems, said it's always been known that they're expensive. "But it will be much cheaper than the cost of a $5,000 shoulder-fired missile hitting a $130 million 767," Israel said.
In the next phase, the systems will be tested on cargo aircraft in real operational environments for advancements in reliability, performance, cost and ability to be manufactured, the report said.
Results will be reported to Congress in 2008.