"Airport authorities strive for improvements in checkpoint security"

Monday, August 14, 2006

Airport authorities strive for improvements in checkpoint security 
By Jenny Beechener
Jane's Airport Review 


The US Department for Transport and Homeland Security says improvements in
checkpoint security are "a key objective for the future". Breaches of
checkpoint security go back as far as 1995, yet aviation security focus has
centred on attaining the 100 per cent screening of checked bags required by
ICAO in the aftermath of 9/11. The checkpoint still relies on basic metal
detection and x-ray as the primary defence against improvised explosive
devices. Supplementary technology is used to screen selected passengers and
represents a gradual adoption of alternative technology albeit at a slow
pace. 

BAA purchased three Rapiscan Systems Secure 1000 body scanners at the end of
2005 to screen selected passengers using backscatter x-ray technology at
London Heathrow. BAA Director of Security Ian Hutcheson stated: "We are very
pleased with the substantial improvement that the Secure has made to our
security processes, and we look forward to further deployments at our
airports." The Rapiscan Secure 1000 is a non-intrusive personnel screening
system designed to detect metallic and non-metallic threat objects utilising
Rapiscan's proprietary backscatter x-ray technology. It is designed to
detect ceramic, plastic, metallic, organic, and other contraband or security
threats 

At the end of 2004 the TSA expanded its trial of walkthrough trace detection
portals, against a backdrop of heightened concern that checkpoint screening
of both passengers and their hand luggage is still far from ideal. The new
passenger screening measures, which include expanded passenger searches, are
in line with recommendations by the 9/11 Commission Report that passengers
selected for secondary screening be checked for explosives. 

In 2005 the TSA allocated USD28.3 million to purchase and install close to
150 trace portals at US airports. Purchases include nine EntryScan 3
walk-through explosive detection portals from General Electric for use in US
airports. Deployment includes Boston Logan International and Los Angeles
airports. The puffer-machine detects microscopic traces of explosives by
analysing air samples from screened passengers. The TSA has also purchased
Ionscan Sentinel Portal manufactured by Smiths Detection. The device
operates in similar fashion to EntryScan 3 in so much as it uses air to
dislodge particles of contraband on the person and positively identifies
specific compounds in a matter of seconds. Smith Industries' Ionscan
Sentinel Portal has undergone extensive testing at airports in the UK and
USA as well as elsewhere. Meanwhile, UK company QinetiQ has chosen to focus
on millimetre-wave detection as a means to positively identify contraband on
the person.

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