I always wondered if those F16's have more than missiles. That would be electronic countermeasures. We have technology to electronically disable ("EMP") other vehicles, aircraft, and electronics. Certainly war machines are hardened against this type of attack, but civilian aircraft probably not to the same extent. If we really had to 'bring down' a plane, I have to wonder if they wouldn't try EMP'ing it and see if the pilot then at least tried to land it. Then also, you just tell folks that the thing lost control --- if you use a missile and people find out that is going to be really really really hard to not monday morning quarterback "what ifs"