Department of Homeland Security Awards Contract for Anti-Missile Devices to Protect Commercial Aircraft

Release Date: 01/06/04 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 6, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology  division today announced that teams led by BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and United Airlines  have been selected for agreement negotiations.  The team will be expected to develop a plan  and test prototypes to help determine whether a viable technology exists that could be  deployed to address the potential threat that MAN-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS)  pose to commercial aircraft.  

 "The President and the Secretary are taking a very aggressive approach on measures to  counter the potential threat of shoulder-fired missiles," said Dr. Charles McQueary, Under  Secretary, Science and Technology.  "These efforts are part of a larger undertaking by the  Administration that includes completing security assessments and implementing reasonable  responsive measures at our nation's airports as well as working with our international  partners to reduce the number of weapons potentially available to terrorists."

Under the agreement, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and United Airlines will each receive  approximately $2 million for Phase I of the project.  In this first phase, which will last  approximately six months, these contractors will produce a plan to adapt military missile  detection and countermeasure technologies for commercial aircraft use.  

BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and United Airlines were selected from among 24 candidates  that submitted White Papers in response to a solicitation issued the first week of October  2003.  Of that group, five contractors were invited to submit full proposals.  Each of these  final candidates gave a four-hour oral presentation to government representatives including  officials from the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Transportation, State and  Treasury.  The selected contractors each bring operational experience to this important  effort through their partnerships with major air carriers.

These selections are the next step in DHS' aggressive two-phased systems development and  demonstration program for the evaluation of anti-missile devices for commercial aircraft.   This initiative is intended to adapt existing technology from military to commercial  aviation use, rather than develop new technology.  Phase I will also provide an analysis of  the economic, manufacturing and maintenance issues necessary to operate counter-MANPADs  systems in the civil aviation environment.  Phase II will include a prototype demonstration  and rigorous test and evaluation process of existing technology.  

McQueary added that "the Science and Technology division is proud to support the  Department's efforts in this critical area of aviation security through our Counter-MANPADS  Special Program Office.  We look forward to working with BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and  United Airlines to determine if in fact there is a viable and effective technology we could  deploy to protect commercial aircraft."

The goal of the Counter-MANPADS Special Program Office is to manage Homeland Security's  development and demonstration efforts for commercial air protection in liaison with the  private sector.  The Office is working closely with the Department of Defense and other  federal agencies to provide Homeland Security with advice, assistance and detailees to  support the Department's efforts to find commercial applications for military technologies.  

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology division serves as the  primary research and development arm of the Department, utilizing our nation's scientific  and technological resources to provide federal, state and local officials with the  technology and capabilities to protect the homeland.

This page was last modified on 01/06/04 00:00:00