Flight Guard

Flight Guard is an infrared countermeasure for civilian aircraft, designed for protection against anti-aircraft missiles. The system has been installed in aircraft of the El Al, [cite news|url=http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1540304&C=airwar|title= El Al Fits Fleet with Anti-Missile System|date=2006-02-16|publisher= [http://www.defensenews.com defensenews.com] | first=Dan|last=Williams| accessdate=2007-10-24] [cite news|last=Vause|first=John|title=Missile defense for El Al fleet|publisher=CNN|date=Monday, May 24, 2004|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/24/air.defense/|accessdate=2007-11-30] Arkia and Israir fleets that fly to high risk destinations.

Flight Guard was developed from the EL/M-2160 military systemcite news|url=http://israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enScript=PrintVersion.jsp&enDispWho=Articles%5El432|title= first self-protection system for commercial aircraft at Paris Air Show|date=2003-06-15| publisher= [http://www.israel21c.org israel21c.org] ] by Israeli Aerospace Industries and Elta after an attempt was made to shoot down an Arkia Israel Airlines Boeing 757 in Mombasa, Kenya in 2002. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2552097.stm|title=Kenyan police find Mombasa missiles|publisher=BBC News|date=2002-12-06|accessdate=2007-10-24] It is specifically designed to defend low-flying aircraft against MANPADs, such as those utilized in the attack in Kenya. The automated system uses Elta's doppler radar to detect incoming missiles, before firing IAI-designed civilian flares to decoy incoming infrared-homed missiles.

The system has proved controversial, with both the FAA [cite news| url=http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Security/3556.htm| title=Missile-protected El Al planes may be banned from U.S. airports|date=2004-04-23|publisher=israelinsider.com |accessdate=2007-10-25] and Switzerland raising fire hazard safety concerns. The Swiss have stated that any aircraft with the system installed will be grounded, despite uncovering a plot to down an El Al aircraft in that country [cite news|publisher=BBC News|title=Swiss 'foiled hit on Israeli jet'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5060936.stm|date=2006-06-08] ; other European countries have indicated that they might follow suit. [cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3221013,00.html|title=Europe objects to El Al's anti-missile shield| publisher=Ynetnews| last=Beck| first=Eldad| accessdate=2007-10-24|date=2006-02-26]

Flight Guard is an intermediate system, as it will be superseded by a newer laser-based jamming system called Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure (MUSIC) that does not use flares. Development of the new system will start in 2008. [cite news| url=http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/missiles/Israel_to_Fund_System_to_Protect_Commercial_Aircraft_from_Missiles160013744.php| title=Israel to Fund System to Protect Commercial Aircraft from Missiles| date=2007-10-12|publisher= [http://www.defensetalk.com defensetalk.com] ]

References

ee also

* CAMPS
* Northrop Grumman Guardian
* Directional Infrared Counter Measures
* 2002 Mombasa hotel bombing - attack was co-ordinated with the shootdown attempt.
* List of airliner shootdown incidents

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W3e14lbt8k Flight Guard Promotional Video]
* [http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/systems/flight_guard/Flight_Guard.htm Flight Guard] (Photographs and technical specifications)