Transportation

Coast Guard looks at threats from non-conatinerized cargo
Break bulk and roll on/roll off cargo present a unique challenge awaiting a solution; cars, cotton bales, and turbine equipment cannot be easily moved through a portal radiation screener; a dirty bomb in a car trunk is just one of the horrifying scenerios
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EDO to develop very-shallow-water mine-neutralizer system
Defending shallow coastal waters against terrorists who would lay mines in order to disrupt commerce and inflict damage is becoming a big issue for the world navies; the U.S. Navy has its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, and a New York company now wins a contract to develop mine sweeping operations in support of the LCS project
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Airline industry objects to new passenger flight data proposals
DHS may ask airlines to provide flight manifests an hour before departure; industry says change from 15 minutes will result in economic hardship and offers a 30 minute compromise; controversy is also building over revised definition of “departure”
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GAO hammers TWIC program management
TSA officials said to be unaware of own progress; when biometric readers are installed, sometimes no electricity is available to power them; maritime reliability remains a glaring problem; cost overruns and delays are expected
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Saflink downsizes and refocuses on Registered Traveler program
Following losses, the company will lay off half of its employees and attempt to grab Registered Traveler market share; competition will be stiff, but Saflink is playing to its strengths
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DHS plan to use RFID for PASS program sparks controversy
Decision allows border guards to screen travelers while they wait in line, but critics say privacy is at risk from digital pick-pocketers; DHS will issue protective sleeves, and no private information will be stored on the cards; Smart Card Alliance says the decision to store data on government computers magnifies, not mitigates, the risk
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ImageWare to show off biometric product suite at D.C. border conference
Company is a leader in the field and a major player in the HSPD-12 market; packaged systems allow for easy adoption; 2nd Annual Border Management Summit opens tomorrow
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Predator B to return to the Arizona skies
Six months after a crash cast doubt on UAV reliability and cost, DHS is ready to try again; Predator B a government favorite despite problems, and two others are scheduled for delivery soon
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Northrop Grumman decides to enter Navy UAV competition
Company proposes its Global Hawk for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program; cost remains an issue for widespread UAV deployment, but Navy sees much to gain in a technology with a long flight time and a high ceiling
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Montana inaugurates new anti-illegal immigration air facility
Predator B UAVs to join the Grand Falls Air Branch soon; development a triumph for embattled senator Conrad Burns; two other branches to open next year
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Israeli team helps LAX security planners with terminal redesign
2002 shooting prompted anxiety by both Israeli and LAX officials; physical layout of particular interest; preventing crowd formation and pushing back parking lots top the agenda
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Homeland Integrated Security Systems's Cyber Tracker to monitor NY school buses
GPS-plus devices include sensors that monitor everything from internal temperature to vehicle speed; school districts want to avoid another Chowchilla while keeping eyes on their drivers
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LoJack enters the cargo security market
Licensing deal with SC-Integrity allows the latter to market products under the LoJack in Transit brand name
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TWIC program bad news harbor trucking industry
Experts expect a large drop-off in truckers when the government begins registering port workers; 25-50 percent are illegal, and few others want these jobs; wages are down, yet demand is high as foreign trade booms
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Cory Lidle's death recalls similar historical events
Small planes crash into buildings far more often than one would expect; episodes at the Empire State Building, and in Tampa and Milan, show danger
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