[theandrewbailey]

We don't want our anti-missile systems to mistake our aircraft for an enemy missile.

I'm not an expert in any of those things, but that's the best I can come up with.

[drzaiusapelord]

This is it. Look at how often this happens, recently in Iran and before that in Ukraine. Anti-missile and anti-air systems are extremely dangerous and reckless machines. Civilian flights get blown up all the time and being extra cautious makes a lot of sense.

[jrockway]

I don't think civilian flights get blown up all the time, but it does happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Lines_Flight_007

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17

[dboreham]

Consistent with "all the time" for me. e.g. much more often than massive Tsunamis or electrical grid-affecting Coronal Mass Ejection events.

[jrockway]

That's fair. It should happen 0 times, but has happened infinitely more than that.

[bubbleRefuge]

Me too. Was thinking same thing. Don't want planes getting caught in the crossfire considering we would probably throw a drag net of intercepting missiles at it.