FedEx asks FAA for authorization to add anti-missile lasers to cargo planes

The company has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in order to ask them for authorization to equip some of its fleet with laser defense systems which would have the capability of intercepting heat-seeking missiles.

The summary of the petition to the FAA states:

"This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus Model A321-200 airplane. This airplane, as modified by FedEx Express (FedEx), will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes."

"This design feature is a system that emits infrared laser energy outside the aircraft as a countermeasure against heatseeking missiles. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature," the document addressed to the FAA reads.

"These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards," the summary concludes.

Later on in the filing, the discussion section reads: "In recent years, in several incidents abroad, civilian aircraft were fired upon by man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). This has led several companies to design and adapt systems like a laser-based missile-defense system for installation on civilian aircraft."

There is growing concern worldwide about the safety of aircraft, possibly due to growing lack of stability in many international locations where companies like FedEx do business. Even at home, FedEx has had security concerns. Back in April 2021, there was a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana.