TEL AVIV ø Israel has entered the last stage of development of
a missile warning system for civilian aircraft.
Israeli officials said the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has
decided to complete a prototype for a system that would automatically detect
and foil infrared surface-to-air missile attacks. The officials said the
prototype will be completed in the first half of 2004.
"There were some delays because of budget problems and bureaucracy," an
official said. "Those problems are behind us."
The system, called the Flight Guard, is being developed by the
state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries and Israel Military Industries. The
system, based on equipment for military aircraft, is meant to automatically
detect and foil infrared man-portable anti-aircraft attacks through the use
of chaff and flares.
Officials said the prototype of Flight Guard will be completed over the
next few months. At that point, the prototype will be installed on a
passenger jet of Israel's national carrier El Al.
When the system is proven effective and certified the Flight Guard will
be marketed by the Israeli consortium. Officials said they expect Israel to
be the first country to complete development of a missile warning system for
commercial jets.
Israel will purchase the Flight Guard for the El Al fleet, officials
said. They said Israel's passenger flights have been threatened by Al Qaida
and related groups with SA-7 and Stinger missiles in airports around Asia,
Africa and Europe.
Elbit Systems and the state-owned Rafael, Israel Armament Development
Authority have been developing a rival system. This system relies on laser
rather than flares and chaff to deflect missiles.
In some airports, officials said, helicopters monitor the area around
the facility to search for man-portable missiles. They did not identify the
airports.
