Defence

Israel's Code Positive pilot security trial moves to second phase

By Arie Egozi

The Israeli ministry of transport is to launch the second and final phase of a trial to test the "Code Positive" security system that will identify pilots of aircraft approaching the country's air space.

Israeli carriers along with five international airlines from Canada, Ethiopia, France, the UK and the USA participated in the first phase, which the Israeli ministry says was successful. "We are now moving to the final test in which all the pilots of the selected airlines will have to use the system," it adds.

The highly classified "Code Positive " system, developed by Elbit Systems, allows Israeli air traffic control to verify that inbound aircraft are not hostile. Special smart cards will be distributed to pilots that regularly fly to Israel. These will be use to verify their identity to a dedicated control centre which will then clear each aircraft to continue.