Firms Tapped to Develop Antimissile Devices
After a study, the government has decided to ask two unidentified firms to try to build devices that will protect commercial planes from shoulder-fired missiles, lawmakers said.
The U.S. will also ask other high-tech firms for proposals on the best way to protect aircraft from the threat, which has concerned U.S. officials since an unsuccessful attack on an Israeli passenger jet in Africa last fall.
“This is a real breakthrough,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), co-sponsor of the bill to equip U.S. airliners with anti-missile devices.
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