Anti-Missile Stystems on FedEx MD-11s

[FlyingPhotog]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4207

Flying the not so friendly skies


FedEx is doing more than just delivering packages around the world at a breakneck pace; they're also going to put into service a counter terrorist missile system on its MD-10 freighters. FedEx will equip 11 of its MD-10 freighters over the next 18 months with Northrop Grumman's Guardian directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) technology.

The move is a part of the Department of Homeland Security's $109 million feasibility study to see if the military-developed technology is cost-effective for commercial applications. The Guardian anti-missile system was developed to counter attacks from man-portable air defense systems (Manpads) which have resulted in the downing of over 40 airplanes and loss of over 400 lives since the 1970s.

[uy707]

Picking up Fedex as a full scale level will help refining the system and allow round the clock work as freight doesn't speak.
Alain

[ASpilot2be]

Oh great, now prices will go to even far more rediculous prices.

Screw Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc., ship USPS

[FlyingPhotog]

Oh great, now prices will go to even far more rediculous prices.

Screw Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc., ship USPS

From the article:

The company says the cost per available seat mile is 0.003 cents, or about 70 cents per passenger for a transcontinental flight.

Pretty cheap price for safety if you ask me.

[Electric-Jet]

Now you will be able to send you mail over-night, and missile safe.

[screaming_emu]

From the article: Pretty cheap price for safety if you ask me.
From the article:
Quote:
The company says the cost per available seat mile is 0.003 cents, or about 70 cents per passenger for a transcontinental flight.

especially if you consider how many seats are on the Fedex fleet

[ASpilot2be]

From the article: Pretty cheap price for safety if you ask me.

I agree, but knowing Fedex, they will raise prices even more for people in Alaska.

[Airbus_A320]

Has anyone even tested this thing to see if it works?

I'd like to see a test similar to that when they crashed a radio cotrolled 707 to see what happens inside. Just this time have a missle fired at the radio controlled aircraft. Until that's done, how can we know that this system will work when it counts. Would suck if airlines pay $1,000,000 and then come to find out the system doesn't work.

[Tanner_J]

Im pretty sure they've tested it...it's the same system they use with fighter jets am I wrong?

[Crunk415balla]

I knew it was only a matter of time before we tested this out on airliners. At the moment, I doubt that these things will be installed on actual U.S. passanger aircraft in the near feature. But this, of course, is completely dependant on what threats/attempts may pop up as time goes on.