An airborne security management system is provided for monitoring security activities in a mobile network platform. This system includes a mobile network that is interconnected via an unreliable communication link to a terrestrial-based network security management system; an intrusion detection system connected to the mobile network and operable to detect a security intrusion event whose origination is associated with the mobile network; and a mobile security manager adapted to receive the security intrusion events from the intrusion detection system. The mobile security manager is operable to transmit a message indicative of the security intrusion event to the network security management system and to perform security response activities in response to security commands received from the network security management system. The mobile security manager is further operable to command security response activities on the mobile network platform, when the mobile network platform is not connected with network security management system.