Northwest, FedEx Testing Defense Gear

Northrop Grumman Corp., one of two companies under federal contract to develop anti-missile defenses for commercial jets, said Wednesday that it was working with FedEx Corp. and Northwest Airlines Corp. to adapt the system for their aircraft.

Northwest is providing an out-of-service Boeing Co. 747 for testing the system and will supply a pilot crew for test flights once the system is installed, Kurt Ebenhoch, a spokesman for the St. Paul, Minn.-based airline, said Wednesday. He did not have details on when test flights would be done.

Concerns that U.S. passenger aircraft might be attacked with missiles began after two shoulder-fired SA-7 rockets were launched near an airport in Kenya in November 2002.

Century City-based Northrop and London-based BAE Systems are working separately, each financed by a $45-million award from the Department of Homeland Security.

In addition, Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.) proposed legislation Wednesday that would require Airbus’ A380 aircraft in the U.S. to be equipped with missile defenses. A plane that can carry as many as 800 people “is a potentially irresistible terrorist target,” he said in a statement.

An Airbus spokesman didn’t return a request for comment.

Northrop’s model is already installed on 200 military aircraft, and the Homeland Security award is to study how to adapt the system to commercial planes. The Northrop system uses lasers to misdirect the heat-seeking sensors of missiles.

Northrop shares rose 9 cents to $56.43.