IDF's "Global Trade" Protocol for Hijacked Planes Revealed
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Israel's Air Force protocol for hijacked planes, "Global Trade," was activated during an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight on September 30. Four F-16 fighter jets were scrambled as the crew battled a hijacker in the cockpit. The protocol, created after 9/11, allows for interception of a hijacked plane if it's deemed a weapon. The crew regained control, averting the need for interception, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The IDF's protocol for hijacked planes is codenamed "Global Trade."
- The protocol was activated during an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight on September 30.
- Four F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the plane if necessary.
- The protocol was developed following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
- The flight crew regained control, preventing the need for interception.
- The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia after the incident.
The Israeli Air Force's protocol for dealing with hijacked civilian aircraft, codenamed "Global Trade," can now be revealed. This directive was activated during an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight on September 30th. In response to the incident, four F-16 fighter jets, armed with air-to-air missiles, were scrambled to Israeli airspace.
For several tense minutes, the Air Force prepared for the most extreme scenario: receiving an order to intercept the passenger plane mid-air if it became clear the hijacker intended to crash it into a populated area. The "Global Trade" protocol was developed in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, where al-Qaeda operatives hijacked four airliners and used them to strike targets like the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The protocol aims to provide the Air Force with a response framework when a civilian aircraft is transformed into a weapon against civilians.
The incident began when Flydubai flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai to Israel, transmitted a distress signal. While such signals can indicate various emergencies, in this case, a serious struggle was occurring in the cockpit. The plane experienced a sharp descent, prompting the Air Force to prepare for the possibility of the aircraft being used for a terrorist attack. The four F-16s were on standby, ready to engage the civilian plane if necessary to prevent mass casualties on the ground.
Ultimately, the situation was resolved when the flight crew regained control of the cockpit after subduing the individual who had attempted to seize it. The aircraft continued its flight and landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The "Global Trade" protocol, conceived 25 years ago, was thus put to the test during a real event, though the extreme measure of interception was averted by the crew's actions.
