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Pentagon Wants Kill Switch For Planes

Posted by samzenpus on from the jettison-the-wings dept.

mytrip writes "The Pentagon's non-lethal weapons division is looking for technologies that could 'disable' aircraft, before they can take off from a runway — or block the planes from flying over a given city or stretch of land. The Directorate's program managers don't mention how engineers might pull off such a kill switch. But, however it's done, they'd like to have a similar system for boats, as well. They're looking for a device that can, from 100 meters away, 'safely stop or significantly impede the movement' of vessels up to 40 feet long, with 'minimal collateral damage.'"

4 of 548 comments (clear)

  1. "Minimum Collateral Damage"... by davidsyes · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yeh, and then some evil types of people or even pranksters (on ground, or by using a so-configured laptop or camcorder or hand-held game) might figure out how to:

    -- boost the reception range in order to deceive or seduce the cockpit,

    -- bypass security (long accept command if wheels up, over 100 kph indicated, if turbines over 25%, if altimeter log indicates movement inconsistent with runway traffic...), to force unwitting external (non-pilot) command input

    -- trick the ground-based systems to interfere with runway traffic to cause on-ground, or taxi-vs land traffic...

    -- trigger false halts and false diverts to wreak havoc upon ATC or military airspace controllers when the aircraft (in real-time or by delayed instruction) fail to "squawk" back...

    then all hell could break loose. Don't think I wanna be on one of those planes... nor near one...

    Basically, they want radio-controlled, perimeter-restricted shopping carts that work on the ground or in the air.... roi...ght....

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  2. It seems we might already have a kill switch by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We don't yet know what caused the crash of the Boeing 777 BA038 crash at Heathrow in january but this post on the reg makes an interesting suggestion.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  3. Re:You say: Hijacking "Defense"... by arthurpaliden · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The solution to aircraft hijackings has be listed in post hijacking reports since the 1960s. Strengthen the flight deck walls and door and keep the door locked. If this had been done 9/11 could never have happened. After all, if the Israeli airline could do it why couldn't everyone else.

    --
    Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
  4. Re:You say: "Defense"... by hardburn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Here's an idea for you: broadcast the hijacker transponder code and jam the voice frequencies. After ground stations get no response, a twitch General will order the plane shot down. No sense trying to smuggle a bomb onboard when you can get the Pentagon to do it for you.

    --
    Not a typewriter