Apr 30, 2004 By Leslie Miller Associated Press Writer 3 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – A House panel approved a bill Thursday that is intended to counter the threat of shoulder-fired missiles to American airliners by speeding the development of defense systems. The su ough, faces a bigger challenge because it has far more aircraft, said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. “The cost and complication associated with installing these systems on commercial aircraft could be staggering and also time-consuming,” Mica said. “The United States must also move forward with other domestic and international efforts.”

The bill would require the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite approval of missile defense systems. It also encourages President Bush to continue efforts to reduce the number of the light but lethal missiles around the world.

“We need to do everything we can to get these weapons out of the hands of people who would do us harm,” said Mica, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure’s subcommittee on aviation.

The bill requires the Homeland Security Department to report to Congress in a year on its plans to defend airports and aircraft from attacks by shoulder-fired missiles.

Last week, Israel said El Al Israel Airlines would begin testing a system to guard its 30 aircraft against the shoulder-fired missile launchers. In 2002, al-Qaida claimed responsibility for an attempt on an Israeli chartered jet with anti-aircraft missiles in Mombasa, Kenya.

Singapore said in February it would install anti-missile defenses on its national carrier in two years. Militants linked to al-Qaida are believed to have tried to target Western sites in Singapore.

James Shilling, a pilot for a major cargo carrier and spokesman for the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association, said Washington could move faster on countering the threat from such missiles.

U.S. officials believe the biggest threat is against American planes when they are in other countries.

If terrorists downed an airliner with a shoulder-fired missile, the cost to the airline industry could run into the billions of dollars, said Brian Jenkins, founder of the Rand Corp.’s terrorism research center.

The cost of prevention is also high. Air Transport Association President James May said Wednesday that the cost of outfitting the commercial aviation fleet – about 6,800 planes – with missile defenses would be between $50 billion and $100 billion over 20 years.

He urged the government to go slow on developing the countermeasures because they have not been proved to be effective.

The government selected three companies in January to determine whether technology used by the military could be adapted for civilian aircraft to counter the terrorist threat. The military’s defenses include infrared jammers that redirect heat-seeking rockets away from aircraft engines.

After six months, one of the three contractors will be chosen to conduct more rigorous testing for up to 18 months.

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On the Net:

Transportation Security Administration: http://www.tsa.gov

Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov