Dear Editor,
While we in Jamaica can breathe a sigh of relief that that aeroplane crash off the coast of Portland a few days ago was as a result of a very unfortunate accident, it should be a wake-up call for us.
If nothing else, the incident should awaken us to the need to pay more attention to our own air defence.
How many of us have considered what would have happened if that plane was not flying in American airspace and it was heading for land? We would not have even known what hit us. We cannot afford to be that helpless when it comes to protecting our own territory.
While it is true that we will never be able to defend ourselves against a determined air attack from a powerful country like the United States, Britain or even Cuba, we should be able to defend ourselves against any nut job who might decide to take a small plane, full it with explosives, and fly it into some populated area.
We live in a very dangerous world these days. There are a lot of crazy fanatics who will go to great lengths to attack countries like the United States in any way they can. Seeing that any air attack on the United States would be suicide, these crazies may try to strike that country by attacking us. We cannot dismiss this possibility as the reasoning capabilities of some of these fanatics leaves much to de desired.
I don't know how much the air aviation administration authorities monitor what flies in our air space, but I would hope that they would be doing a thorough job. However, the experience with that plane crash proves that we don't have the means to intercept or stop any threat to us from the air.
As such, I would suggest that we seriously consider equipping ourselves with the ability to provide a reasonable, yet effective, defense against any such threat. Our current antiquated air force, with its World War II equipment is of no practical use to today's realities.
We don't need an extensive, large or the most modern jet-aircraft fleet, as the purpose here is to stop fanatics who can use civilian planes to wreak havoc. A few jet fighters are all we would need. Our aging propeller planes won't do. Also, we should acquire a reasonable surface-to-air missile system to shoot down planes that refuse to be escorted by these jet-fighters.
I remember talk some years ago about us getting these surface-to-air missile to shoot down planes trading in drugs. I wonder what became of that idea. It is a bad idea to expect America to always come to our rescue. We need to start taking some responsibility for our own air defense.
Michael A Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com
We cannot be that helpless
-->
While we in Jamaica can breathe a sigh of relief that that aeroplane crash off the coast of Portland a few days ago was as a result of a very unfortunate accident, it should be a wake-up call for us.
If nothing else, the incident should awaken us to the need to pay more attention to our own air defence.
How many of us have considered what would have happened if that plane was not flying in American airspace and it was heading for land? We would not have even known what hit us. We cannot afford to be that helpless when it comes to protecting our own territory.
While it is true that we will never be able to defend ourselves against a determined air attack from a powerful country like the United States, Britain or even Cuba, we should be able to defend ourselves against any nut job who might decide to take a small plane, full it with explosives, and fly it into some populated area.
We live in a very dangerous world these days. There are a lot of crazy fanatics who will go to great lengths to attack countries like the United States in any way they can. Seeing that any air attack on the United States would be suicide, these crazies may try to strike that country by attacking us. We cannot dismiss this possibility as the reasoning capabilities of some of these fanatics leaves much to de desired.
I don't know how much the air aviation administration authorities monitor what flies in our air space, but I would hope that they would be doing a thorough job. However, the experience with that plane crash proves that we don't have the means to intercept or stop any threat to us from the air.
As such, I would suggest that we seriously consider equipping ourselves with the ability to provide a reasonable, yet effective, defense against any such threat. Our current antiquated air force, with its World War II equipment is of no practical use to today's realities.
We don't need an extensive, large or the most modern jet-aircraft fleet, as the purpose here is to stop fanatics who can use civilian planes to wreak havoc. A few jet fighters are all we would need. Our aging propeller planes won't do. Also, we should acquire a reasonable surface-to-air missile system to shoot down planes that refuse to be escorted by these jet-fighters.
I remember talk some years ago about us getting these surface-to-air missile to shoot down planes trading in drugs. I wonder what became of that idea. It is a bad idea to expect America to always come to our rescue. We need to start taking some responsibility for our own air defense.
Michael A Dingwall
michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com
We cannot be that helpless
-->