A ground based launch detection system consisting of a sensor grid of electro-optical sensors for detecting the launch of a threat missile which targets commercial aircraft in proximity to a commercial airport or airfield. The electro-optical sensors are configured in a wireless network which broadcast threat lines to neighboring sensors with overlapping field of views. When a threat missile is verified, threat data is sent to a centrally located processing facility which determines which aircraft in the vicinity are targets and send a dispense countermeasure signal to the aircraft.