ELI5, why do problematic flights require a fighter jet escort?

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What could a fighter jet do if a plane goes rogue in a terrorism situation. Surely they can’t push the plane in a certain direction to prevent them causing harm the plane is too big and that’s a recipe for disaster all round. Shooting the plane down has its own complications especially if flying over populated area.

What could they actually do in a code red situation?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

I’m going to add a bit of positivity with a little known protocol that exist in many air forces.

While the end game is to absolutely shoot down a threat, there are steps in between and in the case of commercial airliners, the first approach is to attempt a forced landing. This can be achieved using 27mm guns used as warning shorts, or even a precise hit to aviation controls that will prevent climbing, course changes or sustained airspeed.

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