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.
Watchdog Says Military Can Make Cyber Ops More Efficient
Sept. 17, 2025
The Government Accountability Office called for paring down the military's sprawling cyber enterprise in a recent report, amid renewed discussion about standing up a separate cyber force.
