Who’s In Charge of Defending U.S. Capitol Airspace? The Military or Homeland Security?

There is confusion over who is in charge of defending Washington’s airspace from inbound hostile aircraft. The military can shoot down hostiles; Homeland Security wants the same authority.

The Secret Service can also shoot down aircraft that look like they’re going to try to ram the White House by using portable Stinger missiles from their action stations. Their rules of engagement are different from the military’s ROE. Where does Homeland Security fit in here?

There’s not enough airspace for the military, Homeland Security and the Secret Service to operate safely. The Secret Service ROE should remain the same: engage hostile aircraft that get past the fighter umbrella that protects the Capitol. The question then becomes one between the U.S. military and the Department of Homeland Security.

The military is better equipped to handle shooting down inbound aircraft.

The role of Homeland Security should be to clear the airspace around Washington (and across the nation) in the event that the White House or other government buildings come under air attack and missiles need to be fired, either from the ground or by U.S. military aircraft that are pursuing a hostile. The last thing they need is for a fully loaded 757 or one of the new giant Airbuses to get shot down by a wayward missile.

Homeland Security was created to gather information and distribute pertinent information to government, military and law enforcement agencies across the country, not have their Coast Guard or Customs aircraft be armed with Sidewinder missiles and begin shooting down unidentified aircraft approaching Washington’s airspace. They should be providing advanced warning of potential terrorist attacks on targets like Washington, then allowing law enforcement and the military to do their jobs.

The role of the military IS to kill people and break things. Homeland Security doesn’t need to be doing the same thing. They have enough on their plate as it is. Leave the air defense of the Capitol to the military.

Here's the Washington Post story.