First, we had a report from The Telegraph that the Iranians had taken advantage of the chaos in Libya to steal dozens of sophisticated SA-24 Russian made shoulder launched surface-to-air missiles similar to “Stingers.”
Now Fox News reports there may be as many as 20,000 of these weapons on the loose.
While this high number sounds unlikely, it does look like the supply and demand curves for shoulder launched SAMs is now working in favor of the bad guys.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
And people wonder why I would like to see the Coast Guard replace its modified civil helicopter, with a proper mil-spec helicopter.
Good idea, but can we afford even one?
There are lots of military versions of the Dauphin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocopter_AS565_Panther
It is not really a question of “mil-spec,” it is a question of, is it enough of a threat to justify adding decoy launchers which will add cost and weight to the helicopter, degrade its performance, and require additional training for the crew. Additionally, putting pyro on the aircraft might itself be a danger.
Why replace it with MILSPEC? The Coast Guard has made it clear since the end of the Cold War that it has no interest in kinetic or front line military operations which would expose its people to being killed beyond security roles and other REMF missions.
Well I guess its going to take a somebody that shot down a MH-65C for people to take this subject seriously. So far the Drug Cartels have played nice with our people, but that could always change. Maybe they consider their go fast crews as expendable fodder. And that the reason we have not lost any one yet. I just wish our people have the proper equipment, in case this business turns ugly.
If countermeasures continue to get lighter and cheaper, even the CG may get them someday:
http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1930
And possibly chemical weapons:
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_libya1263_10_11.asp
Apparently the gong price for a shoulder launched SAM is down to $4,000 now.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/missing-libya-missiles-find-gaza-border/story?id=14729363