The United States military has scrambled jets to intercept civilian flights an incredible 1,500 times since the 11 September attacks.
Military pilots also practice shooting down hijacked commercial airliners some four times each week, according to a report by Norad, the North American Aerospace Defence Programme.
The Guardian quotes the head of Norad, General Ralph Eberhart, who reportedly said that the practice drills are carried out four times a week and are designed to make sure that any decision to shoot down a hijacked plane is taken correctly.
He reportedly said: “Before 11 September we never thought about shooting down a civilian plane. We now talk with our pilots and tell them they need to have the nerve to pull that trigger. We have long conversations with people to see if they are ready to do this.”
