US Sen. Chuck Schumer demanded Sunday that the feds re-consider outfitting passenger planes with anti-missile technology to protect Americans from attacks like the one that killed nearly 300 air travelers who were shot down over Eastern Ukraine.
“The tragedy of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, plus the missiles being fired near Tel Aviv’s airport have now made one thing clear: We cannot let this happen to an American passenger plane,” Schumer said during a news conference at his Manhattan office.
Schumer called on the DHS, the Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct an “inter-agency study to determine the benefits and cost-effectiveness of protecting our commercial jets.”
The Department of Homeland Security previously rejected mandatory missile counter-measures as too costly after Schumer (D-NY) and US Rep. Steve Israel (D-LI) called for a study in 2004.
Schumer said anti-missile systems “could cost between $1 million and $2 million per plane. But, when a new jetliner costs between $100 million to $200 million to build, that is not a huge cost.”
“I believe we would all agree that no matter price, we must do everything we can do protect American flyers,” he added.
Israel said “the right blend of incentives and other mechanisms” could help “find a sensible solution that will make us safer.”
None of the government agencies responded immediately to requests for comment.