Anti-missile system for airliners passes testing

An autonomous system that protects aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles is to be installed on Israeli civilian aircraft.

The system from Elbit Systems Electro-Optic is called Flight Guard and uses thermal imaging and laser-fiber technology, which creates high-intensity laser beams, according to an announcement by the Israeli Air Force and Elbit Systems.

"Flight Guard is installed on the lower part of the aircraft and contains four sensors that enable detection, identification, tracking and, ultimately, disruption of the flight path of a missile fired in the direction of the flight path of a plane on which the system is installed," the Air Force said.

Read more