[Intelforum] Secrecy News -- 08/03/06 (IF)

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SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2006, Issue No. 86
August 3, 2006

Secrecy News Blog:  http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/

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**	AIRCRAFT ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEMS NEED MORE WORK, DHS SAYS
**	SELECTED CRS REPORTS


AIRCRAFT ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEMS NEED MORE WORK, DHS SAYS

The potential threat to commercial aircraft from hostile use of
shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles (Man Portable Air Defense
Systems, or MANPADS) still does not have a satisfactory
technological solution, the Department of Homeland Security said
in a new report to Congress.

"It is feasible to transition selected military [defense]
technology to the commercial aviation environment, but it is
challenging from a logistics, cost, export control, and, to some
extent, from a liability perspective," the DHS report said.

"Additional design, development, test, and actual operation [of
counter-MANPADS technology] in the commercial environment is
needed to improve reliability, reduce drag and weight, incorporate
technology protection, [and] enhance producibility...."

See "Department of Homeland Security Counter-MANPADS Program
Summary, Report to Congress Detailing Phases I and II Findings of
the Counter-MANPADS Program," DHS Science and Technology
Directorate, July 31, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/dhs/manpads.pdf

The new DHS assessment, which has not previously been made
available to the public, was first reported by the Associated
Press.

See "Airline Anti-Missile System Years Away" by Leslie Miller,
Associated Press, July 31:

     http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-5985901,00.html

Extensive background on MANPADS proliferation prepared by Matthew
Schroeder of the FAS Arms Sales Monitoring Project is available
here:

     http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/MANPADS/MANPADS.html

"Congress needs to keep in mind that onboard anti-missile systems
are not a panacea; they only protect planes from a small
sub-category of threats, and provide no protection for Americans
flying on foreign airliners that aren't equipped with the
systems," Mr. Schroeder said.  "If Congress goes this route, they
need to redouble non- and counter-proliferation efforts."


SELECTED CRS REPORTS

Numerous new reports of the Congressional Research Service on
subjects of public interest and concern have been issued lately.
Yet by design, they are not made readily available to the public.
They include the following.

"The Department of Defense Rules for Military Commissions: Analysis
of Procedural Rules and Comparison with Proposed Legislation and
the Uniform Code of Military Justice," updated July 25, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL31600.pdf

"Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: Military Commissions in the 'Global War on
Terrorism'," July 6, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22466.pdf

"Military Tribunals: Historical Patterns and Lessons," July 9,
2004:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32458.pdf

"Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses," updated July 31, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL32048.pdf

"Israeli-Arab Negotiations: Background, Conflicts, and U.S.
Policy," updated July 25, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33530.pdf

"Lebanon," updated July 24, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33509.pdf

"European Approaches to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism,"
July 24, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL33573.pdf

"China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and
Missiles: Policy Issues," updated July 17, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL31555.pdf

"Banning Fissile Material Production for Nuclear Weapons: Prospects
for a Treaty (FMCT)," July 14, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RS22474.pdf

"North Korean Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States,"
updated July 6, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RS21473.pdf

"International Small Arms and Light Weapons Transfers: U.S.
Policy," updated June 27, 2006:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS20958.pdf



_______________________________________________
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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web:    www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email:  saftergood at fas.org
voice:  (202) 454-4691