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Anti-Missile Technology To Be Tested on Commercial Jets
Hugh Pickens writes "As many as three American Airlines passenger jets will be outfitted this spring with laser technology intended to protect planes from missile attacks. The tests, which could involve more than 1,000 flights, will determine how the technology holds up under the rigors of flight. The technology is intended to stop attacks by detecting heat from missiles, then responding in a fraction of a second by firing laser beams to jam the missiles' guidance systems. A Rand study in 2005 estimated it would cost about $11 billion to protect every US airliner from shoulder-fired missiles. Over 20 years, the cost to develop, procure and operate anti-missile systems could hit $40 billion."
...does it include a fishtank with sharks?
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I've got all of these frikken lasers lying around ready to be mounted on the sharks swimming in my backyard pool and some %@#^$ contractor with government connections comes in and steals the show. My sharks + really big rubber bands + frikken lasers are going to be much cheaper than this "anti-missle" technology. This is just pork barrel politics rewarding people & companies with "comfortable" ideas. How about we think "outside the box" and start shooting laser-equipped sharks at these missles... I mean, seriously, they've already got fins which are aerodynamic and they could probably fly several hundred miles given a big enough rubber band gun.
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When has a commercial airliner been shot down by a missile? Or is this just someone trying to suck more money out of me when I fly again.
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