NYPD Has Weapon Able to Take Out Rogue Aircraft

In a worst-case scenario, New York City is prepared: The NYPD has weapons that could bring down a rogue aircraft. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly revealed that tidbit last night on a 60 Minutes report detailing the city’s state-of-the-art anti-terrorism system, which includes an arsenal he said is equal to that of some militaries. When asked if that meant the department could “take down an aircraft,” he answered in the affirmative without going into detail, other than to say such measures would be used “in a very extreme situation.”

Police sources tell the New York Post the weapon described has been in the department for four years, and involves a Barret .50 caliber rifle that can be mounted on a police chopper and is only sold to military and law enforcement. It is kept in a safe and brought out only on “special occasions” like a presidential visit, the sources say. How powerful is it? The bullets can penetrate concrete cinder blocks. (More NYPD stories.)