FedEx wants to add anti-missile tech to its cargo planes

FedEx has petitioned the USA’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow it to add laser-based anti-missile technology to future planes.

The technology would automatically beam infrared energy at incoming missiles, interfering with their tracking of engine heat.

In FedEx’s request to the FAA, they note a number of incidents in which civilian aircraft have been struck by missiles, sometimes supposedly as a result of mistaken identity.

Highly portable missile weapons such as shoulder-launched MANPADS have a range of up to four miles, making them a particular threat to aircraft in global ‘hot spots’ with dangerous or restricted airspace.

The anti-missile systems would potentially allow FedEx to increase operations in such zones.

However, safety considerations to be evaluated by the FAA include the risk of inadvertent activation either on the ground or in flight, where it might accidentally zap other aircraft. Exposure to infrared lasers can also cause damage to human eyes and skin.

Forbes notes that FedEx have asked for permission specifically for the Airbus A321-200, which is not yet part of the company’s fleet.

Source: Forbes

Header image: Lucas Pezeta