Federal Air Marshals providing in-flight security, but use of bullets debated
By Mark Oliva, Okinawa
bureau
Federal Air Marshals are flying on selected flights throughout the
United States and possibly abroad.
They’re undercover.
They look like any other passenger. And they’re armed, Federal
Aviation Administration officials say.
The re-introduction of Federal Air Marshals after the Sept. 11
attacks is meant to secure air travel and reassure passengers. The safety of in-flight
shooting has sparked debate on how marshals would take down a would-be hijacker.
The answer might be in frangible, or breakable and disintegrating
munitions. Bullets are specially designed and engineered to pulverize into fine dust on
impact with a hard surface. They’re already used by law enforcement and the military.
Rebecca Trexler, a spokeswoman for the FAA, confirmed that Federal
Air Marshals are working undercover with firearms aboard aircraft, but refused to detail
the types of weapons and ammunition.
“All we can say publicly about ammunition the air marshals use
is that they use hollow point bullets,” Trexler said.
The FAA’s Web site states that Federal Air Marshals “are
authorized to carry firearms and make arrests, while preserving the safety of aircraft,
crew, and passengers.”
Additionally, one requirement for air marshal candidates is
completing the Advanced Federal Air Marshal Training. The training includes courses for
advanced firearms and close quarters countermeasures.
Close-quarters countermeasure training was one reason frangible
ammunition came about, according to Greg Foster, Manager of Law Enforcement and Government
Sales for Remington Arms Company’s Law Enforcement Division. Remington’s a
producer of firearms and ammunition and helped pioneer disintegrating ammunition
technology.
“Frangible rounds are used mostly in training facilities,"
Foster said. They are designed to eliminate lead fragments or ricochets off steel-plate
targets.
Foster said frangible rounds have existed for at least 30 years, but
interest has increased over the last several years because of environmental concerns. When
lead rounds hit, he said, some lead is vaporized and lead fragments scatter across the
range. Concerns of inhaled lead and lead contamination of soil and groundwater forced many
law enforcement agencies and even the Army to explore the use of frangible rounds.
Remington, like other ammunition manufacturers, makes frangible
rounds by compressing powdered metal — mostly iron or tungsten — into the
projectile bullet, sealed in a copper jacket. The bullet completely disintegrates to dust
on impact with a hard surface, such as steel or concrete. Some reports say the rounds even
pulverize when hitting glass. Remington tests showed the round also disintegrated when
fired against an angled surface.
One manufacturer of frangible rounds, Mullins Ammunition, advertises
their version, the Earth Safe Munition, as a superior product for law enforcement
application because of the round’s disintegrating qualities. They claim the
pulverized metal impacts a larger portion of tissue, peppering the internal organs with
the tiny splinters of metal, but leaves no lead mass for an exit wound.
Foster said the ammunition was designed for health and environmental
concerns. Remington’s Web site states, “Disintegrator ammunition is also
particularly suited for special applications.”
“Any ammunition would be considered lethal,” he said.
“Less-than-lethal ammunition like bean bags, aren’t meant to kill. But they
still could be lethal.”
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