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U.S., Spain in safer-flight agreement
The United States and Spain have formalized a program that identifies high-risk travelers Airport before they can board a flight to the United States
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New underwater laser robot network to protect U.S. coast line
Co-operating underwater robots rapidly identify and communicate potential threats in murky waters
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U.K. Home Office makes ID card trial voluntary
Bowing to pressure, the Home Office has abandoned attempts to force workers at Manchester and London City airports to carry ID cards, opting to make the trial voluntary
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Clear to sell customer data
Clear went out of business Friday; company may sell customer data to a TSA-approved provider
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Registered Traveler program, RIP
Verified Identity Pass, which operated its Clear program in eighteen airports, shut operations at every airport early this morning
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Border agency testing UAV along U.S. northern border
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has adopted a new addition to help the agency watch over the northern border in upstate New York: a Predator B UAV
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Israeli commercial aircraft to be equipped with antimissile systems
Israeli Ministry of Transportation has selected Elbit Systems’ C-MUSIC (commercial multi-spectral infrared countermeasure) laser-based system to defend commercial aircraft against missiles
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House of Representatives increases DHS's budget by 7 percent
The bill doubles the funding for airports to purchase explosives detection systems, bringing it to $1.1 billion; the report accompanying the bill expresses concerns that many funds appropriated in earlier years have yet to be drawn down
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DHS IG: General aviation is but limited security threat
General aviation accounts for 77 percent of all domestic flights and includes air cargo transport, emergency medical flight operations, flight school training, and corporate and private aviation; DHS IG says the threat general aviation poses to U.S. national security is “limited and mostly hypothetical.”
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Drug smuggling becomes more sophisticated, II
Drug smugglers now use semi-submersibles which are 60 foot long and 12 feet wide fiberglass boats powered by a diesel engine, with a very low freeboard and a small “conning tower” providing the crew (usually of four) and engine with fresh air, and permitting the crew to navigate the boat
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Philadelphia airport enjoys stimulus package funds
DHS secretary Napolitano announces $26 million in stimulus package funding for screening technology at Philadelphia International Airport
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Drug smuggling becomes more sophisticated, I
Colombian drug kingpins still use old smuggling methods to bring drugs into the United States — aircraft, hidden in ship or aircraft cargo— but small submersibles can move the most cocaine at once, with the lowest risk; U.S. Navy, Coast Guard have detected more than 120 of these subs off the coast between Mexico and Colombia
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Robotic ferret to secure cargo containers
The U.S. maritime system consists of more than 300 seaports and more than 3,700 cargo and passenger terminals; more than 6 million cargo containers enter U.S. seaports annually; new robotic ferret will help detect radioactive materials, explosives, drugs, and illegal immigrants smuggled inside such containers
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E-Verify implementation delayed yet again
DHS created E-Verify to allow employers to check on line the eligibility of employees to work in the United States; implementation of the system has been delayed for the fourth time; new deadline: 8 September 2009
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SF airport receives first installment of stimulus package money
The stimulus package added $3 billion to the DHS budget; of that, about $1 billion will go toward bolstering airport security; San Francisco International receives first $15 million
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The long view
Calls Grow for U.S. to Counter Chinese Control, Influence in Western Ports
Experts say Washington should consider buying back some ports, offer incentives to allies to decouple from China.