"When you launch a new aircraft that can carry the population of a small village it must require - at a minimum - a missile defense system as standard operating equipment," states the text of the bill, presented by Republican lawmaker from Florida, John Mica who heads the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mica wants protection from surface-to-air missiles for the new aircraft, which he views as a "potentially irresistible terrorist target."

"It is just plain common sense that an aircraft such as the Airbus A380, which has the capacity to carry as many as 800 people -- nearly double the number of passengers that aircraft to date have been able to accommodate, is a potentially irresistible terrorist target," states his bill.

"We know that terrorists, particularly al-Qaeda, are looking for the means to cause the greatest destruction, largest number of casualties, and to bring the world economy to a standstill.

"Moreover, we know that terrorists continue to consider commercial aviation an attractive target because of the public spectacle such attacks generate and because the world economy is increasingly dependent upon aviation."

Singapore Airlines is likely to become the first company to make a commercial flight on an A380, in late 2006.

All rights reserved. � 2004 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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