US Government urged to consider defensive countermeasures on airliners

US Government Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Steven Israel have asked the Department of Homeland Security, Defense Department, and Federal Aviation Administration to consider technologies that would act as anti-missile countermeasures on commercial aircraft. Schumer and Israel said that anti-missile devices included onboard lasers, warning systems, flares, and infrared systems, that would cost up to $2 million per aircraft. Schumer said: “The tragedy of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 plus numerous missiles being fired near the Tel Aviv airport have made one thing clear this week: we cannot let this happen to an American passenger plane.” Israel said: “we are