Competition briefing

This CDE competition will focus on 4 elements of the wider FASS scope

• people

• hand baggage

• hold Baggage

• cargo

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Competition Briefing

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Research and Development Manager

Heathrow Security Policy Team

Delivering security

Increased and varied threat

Passenger numbers are increasing

Sophisticated travellers – greater expectations

• no excessive queuing

• do not want to take their shoes and coats off

• want to carry liquids in cabin baggage

• do not want their items spread over two or more trays

• will challenge procedures that they do not understand

Operational factors

Space constraints in existing buildings

Detection technologies footprints are increasing

Some detection technologies are too slow in throughput terms

• false alarm rate

• concept of operations

• process time

• operator decision time

The perfect solution

Design

smaller in size

faster in throughput

lower in false alarm rates

growth in detection

IT flexible

Human Factors

security user friendly

passenger user friendly

maintenance friendly

Technology challenge 1: Screening individuals and their hand baggage

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Threat list

• explosive devices

• incendiary devices

• device components

• explosive main charge

• explosive detonators

• power/timer elements

• firearms

• ammunition

• knives

Technology challenge 1: Screening individuals…

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…and their hand baggage

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Current multi layered approach

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Recompose

area

Dives

t

Explosiv

e trace

detection

Metal

detector

X-ray

Manual

bag

search Body

Scanner

Canine

Search

Resolution

Canine

Search

Staff

Shoe

screen

Hand search

Effective against all threat types if carried out correctly

• slow

• intrusive

• strenuous for the screener

• unpleasant for both the passenger and the screener

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Metal detectors

• Walk Through Metal Detectors (WTMD) supported by Hand Held Metal Detectors (HHMD)

• zonal alarms

• random search ratio for non metallic threats

• only detects metals

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Active millimetre wave scanners • non-ionising radiation

• no image of passenger

• automatic threat recognition

Advantages • removes privacy concerns • removes ‘human’ element

Disadvantages • current ATR has higher FAR

than screener • can’t easily distinguish benign

anomalies

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Explosive detections dogs

• trained to detect multiple target materials

• effective at picking up these target odours if trained correctly

• developing and maintaining this capability is reliant on training in an operational environment

• limited coverage as dogs only able to work short shifts

• good deterrent

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Explosive trace detection

Effectiveness of trace screening relies on

• detection systems performing at required level

• effective surface swabbing

Too slow to sample all people

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People screening requirements

Metallic and non-metallic threat items • better identification of item/material

• reduce false alarm rate

• further increase detection of difficult concealments on person

Increased throughput • remove need to divest

• walking speed/non-compliant screening an aspiration

Technologies/processes to resolve initial alarm • systems to aid alarm resolution

• reduce searcher burden

• high accuracy

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Automated X-ray (Explosive Detection System)

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Cabin baggage systems

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Weapons detection?

Explosive detection solid and liquid

Central Search X-Rays

Remote Screeners

Explosive trace detection

Effectiveness of trace screening relies on:

• detection systems performing at required level

• effective surface swabbing

Too slow to sample all bags

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Liquid, aerosol and gels screening

Wide range of underlying technology to exploit physical and chemical properties of liquid explosives

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Wideband Radio

Frequency Complex

Impedance

Calorimetric wet

chemistry

Spatially Off-set Raman

Spectroscopy (SORS)

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)

Multi Mode Microwave near

field sensor

Multi Spectral

Analysis

Computed

Tomography

RF + Ultra Sound

Hand baggage screening requirements Handle complex bags

• screen quickly in the presence of complex metal, dense objects or clutter

• reduce the need to divest items from bags

• assist screener in detecting artfully concealed items

Detection of a wide range of threats • all types of explosive materials

• firearms identification

• respond easily to new/emerging threats (material, shape)

Increase throughput

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