NORAD and US Northern Command have asked private and government air security experts for assistance in countering the threat posed by terrorists firing shoulder-launched missiles to aircraft flying within North America. The two commands hosted a conference last week that had 100 experts run through several threat scenarios, all featuring terrorists wielding man-portable air defense systems. “There have been attempts to smuggle MANPADS into North America,” said seminar facilitator David Wilkins. Participants agreed that defense and response would take government-industry cooperation and that it is “unlikely” to completely negate the MANPADS threat.
The Department of the Air Force has identified 50 programs that will make up the core of its contribution to the Pentagon’s joint all-domain command and control effort, branding them part of the “DAF Battle Network,” according to newly-released budget documents. The DAF Battle Network programs span multiple offices and agencies…