Two New York legislators are urging the government to study whether American passenger jets should be equipped with devices protecting them against missiles like the one that brought down a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Steve Israel are asking the Department of Homeland Security, Defense Department and Federal Aviation Administration to consider technologies that would shield commercial aircraft.
The Democratic lawmakers say government study should include specific recommendations on the best technology needed to combat both shoulder-fired and surface-to-air missiles. Anti-missile devices including onboard lasers, warning systems, flares and infrared countermeasure systems, would likely cost from $1 to $2 million per plane. Israel, to put the numbers in perspective, notes the cost of an inflight entertainment system is $1 million per plane.
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