The question that keeps crossing my mind is a number of articles I've seen related to anti hijacking, remote control technology. Unfortunately, those articles I've run across haven't been very well documented, and tend to be from what I'd consider to be rather obscure sources of unknown credibility.
One member of PNAC was an ex-director of a company specializing in such technology, and there's certainly no question that such technology exists. The question I have is, is the technology standard equipment on all commercial aircraft? Some of the articles I've seen would suggest this is the case, although this where the credibility issues come in.
My understanding of the concept is that if a passenger jet is hijacked, it's simply a matter of getting close enough to take control away from the hijackers by remote, then safely land the plane. If this is the case, and if it is standard equipment, then there would be absolutely no need for any sort of shoot down order. SOP would be to get fighters in the air ASAP, then take over control of the plane as the situation dictates to safely eliminate the threat. While a plane on the ground with hostages would still be a problem, the immediate threat of certain death to the hostages from a plane crash, and the consequential damage to persons and buildings on the ground, would be eliminated. The reasoning behind making it standard equipment would be at least as compelling as that for air bags in cars.
The whole practice of scrambling planes makes a lot more sense if it is assumed there is something practical they are able to do on short notice to deal with a real threat. Otherwise, the 50-60 missions flown each year in response to off course aircraft would have little purpose beyond making finger gestures at potential hijackers.
I think some definitive information on if commercial planes in the US are equipped with anti hijacking, remote control devices would go a long way toward explaining what happened on 9/11. The official story, as well as the stand down theories, tend to fall apart if there is no explanation for exactly what the fighters were supposed to do once they reached the hijacked planes. Blowing them up over the most heavily populated city in the US doesn't make for much of a solution, and neither does getting close enough to wave bye-bye as they crash into the towers. |
