Editor's corner.

Although U.S. forces in Iraq were not attacked with chemical or biological weapons, they nonetheless prepared for the worst. Army Chemical Corps units deployed their most sophisticated detectors, and the Defense Department accelerated the production and delivery of new protective garments.

But the reviews on how well chem-bio defense worked in Iraq are mixed. Army Brig. Gen Stephen Reeves, the joint program executive officer for chemical and biological defense, said that the industrial base responded remarkably well to the surge in demand. But he complained that troops in the theater encountered problems operating equipment that had not been properly tested.

Reeves' observations, as well as comments from other officers who returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom, are part of our cover story package, which begins on page 28.

Other Army units in Iraq, meanwhile, continue to suffer shortages of spare parts and vehicle components. Causing these problems are delays in the budget process and difficulties obtaining key vehicle parts. The Army officer in charge of providing logistics and support equipment, Maj. Gen. N. Ross Thompson III, has directed depots, arsenals and commercial vendors to ramp up production, and has taken steps to restructure the Army industrial base, to make it more responsive. More details on the Army's logistics challenges can be found on page 18.

At the Department of Homeland Security, officials are paying increasing attention these days to the issue of protecting aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles. The arrest of an arms dealer supposedly seeking to sell hand-held missiles to potential terrorists and the recent downing of an Army helicopter in Iraq--killing 15 soldiers--have stirred new fears of manpads, or man-portable air defenses. Under growing pressure from Congress, the DHS is taking steps to evaluate what options are available for U.S. airlines.

In late December, the DHS is expected to award contracts to several companies that have developed defensive countermeasures for military and civilian aircraft. The competition is fierce, as companies envision a potential $10 billion market for these systems. Questions remain, however, about how realistic it is to install defensive systems on commercial jets, without disrupting airline operations and creating logistics burdens. High costs and maintenance concerns could become huge stumbling blocks, particularly in today's environment of financially struggling airlines. The DHS countermanpads program is part of a story package that begins on page 14. A companion piece relates some of the latest research and development efforts to improve the old-fashioned flares and decoys used on military aircraft to deflect heat-seeking missiles. Industry and government experts explain that these pyrotechnic devices continually must be improved, to keep up with advances in missile technology.