FedEx Adds Anti-Missile Freighter |
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 A FedEx MD-10 aircraft is now in commercial revenue service with a Northrop Grumman-developed Guardian anti-missile system. The aircraft almost unnoticed except for a small gathering of press and politicians departed Los Angeles International Airport this week marking the beginning of the operational test and evaluation portion of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Counter-Man Portable Air Defense Systems (C-MANPADS) program.
As part of Phase III of the DHS-sponsored program, a Northrop Grumman-led industry team will complete production of Guardian missile defense systems for installation on MD-10 aircraft.
Northrop Grumman President and Chief Financial Officer Wes Bush and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer marked the inaugural flight of a commercial widebody aircraft to enter routine revenue service featuring Northrop Grumman’s Guardian system at a ceremony January 15 at Los Angeles International Airport.
During the test and evaluation effort, which concludes in March 2008, nine MD-10 aircraft equipped with the Guardian system will be in continual revenue service operation.
The Guardian system is a defensive aid utilizing proven military technology to defend against the threat posed by anti-aircraft, shoulder-fired missiles.
Once launched, the missile is detected by the Guardian system, which then directs a non-visible, eye-safe laser to the seeker head of the incoming missile, disrupting its guidance signals.
During the test phase, which concludes in March 2008, nine MD-10Fs equipped with the Guardian system will be in commercial service.
Sen. Barbara Boxer said: "This program is very promising because it's already met the operational testing.
“Now it's a question of how does it actually work in terms of stresses on the system while the airplane is in operation for several hours," said Boxer, a longtime proponent of equipping planes with anti-missile technology.
Senator Boxer said her first priority is to equip the Civil Reserve Air Fleet of more than 1,000 commercial airplanes with the technology.
(Geoffrey@aircargonews.com)
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