FedEx wants to equip Cargo Planes with Anti Missile System

FedEx sees such a high risk for its cargo planes that they now want to equip them with missile defense systems. A corresponding application has been received by the US aviation authority, which must now also decide on possible dangers.

FedEx wanted defense systems on cargo planes for many years

Is it becoming more and more dangerous for airplanes in certain airspaces? If the US logistics group FedEx has its way, the answer to this question is clearly yes. As a new document shows, the company assesses the situation so critically that it now wants to deploy defense systems in its cargo planes. As CNN reports, a corresponding application has been received by the US Federal Aviation Administration. A look into the publicly available documents shows that FedEx has been planning a system for its Airbus Model A321-200 aircraft since 2019 that can provide reliable defense against heat-guided missiles. “This design feature is a system that emits infrared laser energy outside the aircraft as a countermeasure against heat-seeking missiles,” reads the official wording.

Verification process started

As the FAA points out, FedEx is not the only company considering using such systems on board its aircraft. The reason: In recent years there have been repeated incidents in which civilian aircraft have been fired on by portable air defense systems. “This has prompted several companies to develop and adapt systems such as a laser-based missile defense system for installation on civilian aircraft,” the agency said.

However: Before approval, it is now necessary to establish a set of rules that makes it possible to use such “new and unusual design features” without harming people or affecting other aircraft. FedEx itself has not yet commented on its plans for the exact use of the system, nor how the technical implementation will take place. However, the statements by the FAA indicate that the subject of missile defense in civil aviation is becoming much more important.