Flight has been one of the safest means of traveling between point A and point B for many years. There’s one constant threat, however, that still keeps aviation professionals up at night—shoulder-fired missiles called MANPADS (man-portable air defense systems). These heat-seeking missiles, commonly employed in armed conflicts, have also hit civilian aircraft from time to time, leaving some major questions regarding the safety of aviation. Just last year, FedEx reopened that debate by asking permission to install sophisticated anti-missile laser systems on its cargo aircraft—a step that may define the future of airline security.
Knowing the MANPADS Threat
Since the 1970s, over 40 civil aircraft have been struck by MANPADS, reports the International Civil Aviation Organization. The missiles target the heat from jet engines and can be devastatingly effective. In one of the most well-known incidents, two missiles narrowly missed an Israeli passenger jet leaving Mombasa, Kenya, in 2002. A year later, a DHL cargo plane was struck by a missile over Baghdad, forcing the pilots to land using only engine thrust after the hydraulics were disabled.
The larger issue is how far these weapons have proliferated. A RAND Corporation report uncovered that Russia exported 10,000+ units from 2010 to 2018—many to politically unstable regions where weapons inevitably find their way into the wrong hands. Other nations, such as the U.S., France, and China, have also supplied the world, sometimes inadvertently contributing to black markets and arming militias.
How DIRCM Systems Work
In response to this threat, air transport has turned to military technology—directional infrared countermeasure systems, or DIRCM. DIRCM systems emit infrared laser beams to disrupt a missile’s guidance system, causing it to lose its target before hitting the aircraft. DIRCM systems are more streamlined, accurate, and safer than older systems that used flares (which were fire hazards), which previously counteracted threats.
Originally intended for military aircraft, helicopters, and cargo planes, these technologies are now lighter weight, less expensive, and increasingly feasible for civilian aircraft, particularly cargo carriers that might fly through higher-risk zones.
FedEx’s History with Missile Defense Tech
FedEx is not new to this discussion. In 2006, the company teamed up with Northrop Grumman to test a DIRCM system known as Guardian on a McDonnell Douglas MD-10. The project was backed by the Department of Homeland Security and intended to determine if military-grade protection could be applied within a commercial environment. Following more than 16,000 hours of successful testing, the signs were encouraging: a variety of missile threats were disabled in various scenarios.
Yet, deploying this technology on the entire U.S. commercial fleet was a logistical and costly mountain to climb. The Department of Homeland Security put the price tag at more than $30 billion. Including export controls and international aviation regulations, the concept of mass implementation stalled.
Regulatory Obstacles and FAA Implications
Flash forward to 2019, when FedEx sought FAA approval to have a DIRCM system installed on the Airbus A321-200. The FAA responded by writing special certification conditions, recognizing that technology of this kind didn’t yet have standardized safety rules for commercial aircraft.
But in the first half of 2022, the FAA backed down, indicating it needed additional time to consider the technology and its wider context. The action underscored how challenging it is to weigh state-of-the-art security with the demands of commercial flight, where safety, expense, functionality, and global cooperation must come together.
What’s Next for Missile Defense in Commercial Aviation?
Although the danger of a missile attack on a civilian airliner remains low—certainly lower than bird collision or drone interference—the stakes are too high to discount. Already, some carriers, such as Israel’s El Al, outfit their aircraft with countermeasures. But most major carriers remain behind, owing both to cost and a perception that the danger is too remote to merit investment.
FedEx’s renewed interest in DIRCM systems puts the issue back into the spotlight. As technology becomes more efficient, smaller, and cheaper, there’s a possibility that other airlines—particularly those flying over or near war zones—will give this type of protection more scrutiny.
FedEx’s action is about more than lasers on aircraft. It is an indication of a wider necessity to think about how we tackle aviation security in an age when long-standing distinctions between military and civilian threats are growing indistinct. Whether or not anti-missile lasers become ubiquitous gear, the debate they have initiated is one the industry cannot afford to dismiss.
