February theme: Airport securityBAE’s JETEYE

Published 28 February 2008

Of the various technologies and configurations proposed for defending commercial aviation against shoulder-fired missiles, the leading candidates are plane-mounted directed infrared countermeasures systems; BAE’s JETEYE is such a system

Of the different technologies and configurations which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering for protecting civilian aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles, the leading candidate so far is directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) — a mid-infrared laser deployed on planes. BAE Systems’s JETEYE is such a system, and it takes advantage of the company’s experience with similar military technology. This counter-MANPADs (C-MANPADs) system protects commercial airliners from heat-seeking shoulder-fired missiles by installing an on-board countermeasures system