IMI Claims Ammo Won't Penetrate Fuselage

One of the more potent criticisms about putting undercover sky marshals on commercial flights and arming them has been that, if there's a shoot-out in the aircraft, chances are more than good someone's going to blow a hole in the fuselage. That could be fatal, of course, or could at least ruin a flight crew's entire day. Maybe there's an answer in Israel.

Israel Military Industries will supply sophisticated small arms ammunition for US sky marshals. The IMI - Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing Plant, known as the Yitzhak Plant in Upper Nazareth, has developed special small arms ammunition suitable for use inside planes. The non-lead disintegrating bullet does not ricochet and is designed not to damage the fuselage.

That's Gonna Leave A Mark -- On You, Not The Plane

When the bullet hits a person, it has the same effect as a regular bullet, but when it hits hardened material, such as the fuselage, it shatters into tiny energy-free fragments. The standard bullet is 9mm, but other calibers will be produced for a wide range of weapons.

IMI will deliver the ammunition to the US federal government through its US suppliers. IMI is now bidding in another tender to supply ammunition to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

FMI: www.imi-israel.com