Transportation

Coalition of U.S., Canadian mayors to fight border-crossing passport requirement
DHS wants every American and Canadian crossing the U.S.,-Canada border to present a passport; businesses along the border say it would devastate local and regional economies, and a coalition of mayors from both sides of the border agrees
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Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works demonstrates new UAV
Unmanned vehicles — in the air, on land, and at sea — are the wave of the future; Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works demonstrates a third-generation UAV/UCAV, nicknamed Polecat, made of composite materials; the Polecat is the company’s best hope of gaining ground in the UAV race — ground it has lost during the past ten years to Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics
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ObjectVideo to offer new scanning technology to CBP
This leader in video analytics already has many contracts in government and the private sector, and is now about to deploy its latest technology to help the U.S. border patrol monitor U.S. borders more effectively
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Northrop Grumman in $49.5 million contract to defend U.S. Air Force planes • Part of contract for LAIRCM aircraft defense systems worth up to $3.2 billion
Iran and Syria have supplied Hezbollah with nearly 12,000 missiles and rockets; how many shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles have these two countries given to Hezbollah – and other terrorist organizations? The U.S. Air Force is not taking any chances, buying defensive measures for its Big Birds; some of these defensive measures may be modified and deployed on civilian aircraft
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Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) argues for electrifying fence on U.S.-Mexico border • “We do that with livestock all the time”
Representative King pushes the envelope: Why not install an electric fence along the U.S.-Mexico border? He argues that in his home state the method works well in controlling cattle
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World’s first battery-operated manned airplane
A milestone in aviation history: Japanese students fly the first battery-powered man-operated plane
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DHS tests various weapon detection technologies at rail stations
The terror attacks on Mumbai trains reminded us, if a reminder was needed, of the vulnerability of public transportation; DHS conducts tests in Jersey City, Baltimore, and Atlanta for improving rail transportation safety
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Video analytics to protect railway tunnels
Another measure to increase rail transportation safety is the continuous monitoring of rail tunnels, a Florida company beings video analytics to the task
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Jurisdictional squabbles, looming mid-term elections, scuttle port security measures
Disagreements over jurisdiction and the coming November elections threaten to derail port security legislation; of special interest: The 100 percent container inspection clause passed by an overwhelming vote (421-2) in the House – but it is the only clause in the port safety legislation which is adamantly opposed by every part and every component of the shipping industry
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Europe warms up to UAVs
UVAs are a big thing in the U.S., and the Europeans are becoming more and more interested as well
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Senate votes to bolster border security; rejects increased tax on airline tickets
Senate approves homeland security budget which includes major allocations for border security; for second year in a row Congress rejects administration’s plan to increase tax on airline tickets
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Australian transportation system vulnerable to terrorist attack
A RAND study finds the Australian transportation system is exceedingly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and that states do not do enough to increase security; an interesting point: RAND argues that reducing the lethal effect of explosions in trains would be a better investment than some of the high-tech security measures being pursued by states such as the CCTV systems
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Rotterdam’s transportation system beefs up security
The events in London last year, and in Mumbai a couple of days ago, offer a grim reminder of the vulnerability of mass transportation systems; the city of Rotterdam wants its transportation system to become less vulnerable
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L-3 teams with DHS in RSP program
New York-based L-3 Communications again joins DHS in its rail security program; this time around the program will be using L-3 technology to scan riders in New Jersey for explosives
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DHS modifies airline passenger information program
DHS wants international airlines to help it check for suspected terrorists who try to board U.S.-bound planes, and for domestic airlines to provide it with lists of all passengers getting on board; DHS checks the lists thus provided against the department’s no-fly watch-list and alert the airlines; trouble is, the no-fly list contains so many inaccuracies that this checking procedure has resulted in many delays – and even in planes being forced to go back to the port of origin, only to discover that a suspected terrorist on board was not a terrorist after all; DHS is now giving airlines more time to implement an improved system
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