• FBI worried about surge in sales of book detailing airport security gaps

    A book detailing gaps in airport security enjoys a surprising surge in sales; the FBI, which keeps track of sales of books which may benefit terrorists — and also of similar library books being checked out — wants to know more

  • BAA in Heathrow RFID trial

    BAA begins Heathrow trial for RFID-based baggage tracking system

  • IAI's Stark subsidiary eyeing U.S. defense, homeland security markets

    IAI establishes a U.S. subsidiary to market its UAVs and payloads in the U.S. defense and homeland security markets; IAI is eyeing the U.S. coast guard and border patrol; first goal: Offer IAI’s Heron 1 as an alternative to General Atomics’ Predator

  • Modeling and simulation course for newcomers to the field

    Modeling and simulation are growing in importance, and a new certificate program provides training in applying M&S to military and business challenges

  • Delta Scientific shows new truck barrier solution

    As risk of suicide bombers driving explosive-laden trucks increase, interest in systems to stop such truck from reaching their target increases; Delta Scientific shows a new solution

  • Diminished strategic focus caused lax Air Force nuclear security

    Last year, six nuclear-tipped missiles were flown by mistake from North Dakota to Louisiana; it took more than thirty-six hours for the Air Force to discover the mistake, or even realize that nuclear missiles were missing

  • Israel's use of UAVs expands

    UAVs are assuming more and more military, intelligence, and homeland security missions; Israel has pioneered the broad-based use of UAVs for all types of missions, and is years ahead of other militaries in incorporating the systems into its operational planning; to know where UAV developments — and deployments — are heading, it would be a good idea to study the Israeli case

  • Airport security challenges // by Lynn Welch

    TSA needs to formulate – and enforce — standards for perimeter defense

  • World's first thermal glider takes off

    The world’s first thermally powered robotic vehicle takes off; the new glider draws its energy for propulsion from the differences in temperature — thermal stratification — between warm surface waters and colder, deeper layers of the ocean

  • Aussies worried about security of small planes, regional airports

    In Australia, only planes with thirty seats or more must have impregnable cockpit doors; interest in the security of small planes and of regional airport intensifies as a woman on a nineteen-seater plane in New Zealand stormed the cockpit of a small aircraft on Friday, stabbing two pilots in midflight

  • South Africa to bolster airport security

    South Africa security authorities contend that some of the main gaps in airports security are the result of inconsistent and uneven security standards among air, land, and rail transportation; a private industry-government conference in Johannesburg aims to formulate agreed-upon security terms of reference

  • New vehicle "arrester" certified by TTI

    Critical infrastructure facilities, military bases, and government buildings need to be able to stop a car or a truck laden with explosives driving toward them at a great rate of speed; cement barriers and embedded vertical bar installations interfere with routine traffic and spoil the landscape; a Pennsylvania company offers a solution: A retractable net placed underground which, at the flick of a button, springs to catch, cradle, and arrest an oncoming vehicle, safely bringing it to a controlled stop

  • Congress wants tighter look at passengers claiming to be policemen

    Currently, all one has to do at an airport to prove he or she is a law enforcement officer — and, thus, entitled to bring a weapon on board — is show a photo ID and a letter from the law enforcement agency employing them; both documents can be easily forged

  • Northrop Grumman, L-3 awarded EPX contract

    EPX aims to create a shore-based, manned aircraft which will provide intelligence, surveillance, and targeting (ISRT) support to carrier strike groups

  • Billions spent on airport security, but major security gaps remain

    In the post 9/11 rush to bolster airport security, billions were spent and different technologies and systems were tried, but experts — and government watchdog organizations — say major security gaps remain; Congress, TSA, and the industry are increasingly anxious; the latest hope: Millimeter wave machines, which can see through clothes by analyzing the reflection of radio frequency energy bounced off passengers