February 4, 2008: Last week, Italian
police found two AMRAAM air-to-air missiles hidden among a truck load of
oranges from Greece. The 12 foot long missiles, it turned out, were inert dummy
models, used for testing and training. Documents were checked and the missiles were
traced to a Greek Air Force base. The Greeks said the missiles were headed back
to German firm that owned them. What first appeared to be a major intelligence
operation, turned out to be much less. Shipping them "hidden" in a truck full
of oranges was apparently just a convenient way to transport them, although
Italian authorities thought this might
to be a ploy to avoid paying customs duties for bringing the missiles
into the country. But in the end it
appears that the two dummy missiles had been loaned the Greek air force for use
on F-4 aircraft, and were simply being trucked back to their owners in Germany.
