Northrop Grumman Corp and BAE Systems will install laser defense equipment on out-of-service aircraft before a decision is made about putting it on passenger planes.

The laser systems are designed to confound heat-seeking shoulder-fired missiles that have been used in the past by terrorists trying to down passenger planes.

The result of the trials, which will be conducted by the Department of Homeland Security's systems engineering and development office, will be forwarded to Congress next year for review.

Officials have said installing such systems on all 6,800 aircraft in the U.S. passenger airline fleet would cost at least $6 billion, which would be the most expensive security upgrade ever of U.S. aviation, USA Today said.

So far, no U.S. airliner has been shot down by a ground-launched missile fired by terrorists. Allegations have circulated that a Boeing 747, TWA flight 800, was downed by a Stinger missile over Long Island Sound on July 17, 1997. But U.S. authorities have always dismissed the allegations.

However, Homeland Security authorities take the possibility of such attempts being made in the future seriously.

All rights reserved. � 2005 United Press International. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by United Press International. 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 United Press International.

Related Links
SinoDaily
Search SinoDaily
Subscribe To SinoDaily Express