The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recently issued a warning to all national aviation authorities and aircraft operators of enhanced risk to the safety of civilian aircraft from terrorists, while flying over Pakistan. This warning has been issued at the behest of the civil aviation regulator of France, DGAC, that has made it mandatory for French aircraft operators not to fly below an altitude of 24,000 ft in Pakistan. Indian and South East Asian airlines, flying to and from Europe, routinely fly over Pakistan. Danger to the civilian aircraft these days emanates from Shoulder-Fired Missiles (SFMs), now easily available to terrorists. Downing of a passenger aircraft creates a tremendous psychological impact on the travelling public, is debilitating to the aviation industry and confronts the nation owning the aircraft with a serious dilemma. Security has been enhanced considerably at civilian airports in India in the last few years. However, a terrorist armed with SFMs, operating outside the airfield perimeter, can easily target an aircraft that is either landing or taking off. At these times, the plane will be well within the range of SFMs and becomes an easy target.
Man-portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADs) were developed in the 1940s to protect ground forces from enemy aircraft. They have received a great deal of attention in recent years as potential terrorist weapons that might be used against commercial airliners. These missiles, affordable and widely available through a variety of sources, have been used successfully over the past three decades both in military conflicts, as well as by terrorist organisations. A UN Report says that there are more than 5,00,000 such shoulder-fired missiles, popularly called MANPADS, in the world — a big chunk of them in terrorists’ hands.
17/09/15 P Govindrajan/New Indian Express
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Man-portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADs) were developed in the 1940s to protect ground forces from enemy aircraft. They have received a great deal of attention in recent years as potential terrorist weapons that might be used against commercial airliners. These missiles, affordable and widely available through a variety of sources, have been used successfully over the past three decades both in military conflicts, as well as by terrorist organisations. A UN Report says that there are more than 5,00,000 such shoulder-fired missiles, popularly called MANPADS, in the world — a big chunk of them in terrorists’ hands.
17/09/15 P Govindrajan/New Indian Express
