Category: Industry News

Analogic Corporation, a medical imaging and aviation security technology provider, and Stratovan Corporation, a software house and developer of next-generation interactive visual analysis software for 3D imaging, announced a partnership to develop next-generation threat detection software for aviation security.

The collaboration will support threat detection algorithms developed by Stratovan to enhance the capabilities of Analogic’s airport checkpoint CT solution, ConneCT™. This represents a significant step toward the interoperability of ConneCT with innovative third-party threat detection systems, enabling a new heightened level of aviation security.

Computed tomography (CT) technology is the recognised next-generation of airport checkpoint security. Analogic’s ConneCT was engineered to enable interoperability of threat detection and network software, critical elements that maximise the capabilities and lifecycle of CT technology.

A new border control experience designed by Vision-Box is now automating and streamlining the clearance and border passage of Argentinian citizens entering the country via Argentina’s largest airport. The system is on track to be expanded to departures and third-country citizens.

The new automated border control (ABC) solution based on biometric technology has been clearing passengers entering Argentina through the Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport since 23 April, when brand new eGates were inaugurated by the Minister of Transportation and Interior and opened to the public. The objective of the solution is to enhance the experience of passengers. At the same time, it facilitates border-crossing operations by accurately identifying individuals and supporting oversight by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The new ABC eGates at the Ezeiza arrivals terminal are available to passengers possessing an Argentinian passport and who are 18 years of age or older. In just a few seconds they can now self-process though the eGates unattended, following a highly intuitive, user-centric process.

Behind a swift, stress-free passenger experience, a robust passenger orchestration software suite, under supervision of authorities, compares and verifies the information embedded in the passengers’ passports with a live facial and fingerprint capture and match. Additionally, extensive and accurate background checks are automatically conducted against INTERPOL, no-fly lists, and internal security lists to make certain that only authorised and lawful individuals are allowed to enter or exit the country. The networked protocol that identifies and matches people, places, and times where border crossings occur follow highly rigorous privacy and safety standards.

Siemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics is to supply a tray-based baggage handling system and powerful software for the new satellite terminal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport. The innovative tray technology from Siemens will allow the much-needed expansion of capacities. With a top speed of ten metres per second, the system in Bangkok will achieve a peak throughput of 10,800 pieces of baggage per hour.

For the project, Siemens is working as technology leader with Thai infrastructure company Loxley, who integrates the system together with further partners.

The new VarioTrays provide fast and secure transportation and sorting of baggage. The intelligent construction of the solution ensures energy efficiency, which is exemplary in the whole airport industry. The conveyor belts run over rollers to prevent dynamic friction between the belts and conveyors, and the considerably reduced weight of the new trays helps to lower energy costs even further.

For bulky baggage such as surfboards, Siemens supplies special out-of-gauge trays.

These extra-large trays run on the same conveyor lines as the standard baggage and are transported and sorted just as efficiently.

The satellite terminal’s baggage handling system is linked to the main building via a tunnel. Over this 950-metre route, the system reaches its peak throughput of ten metres per second.

Delta Scientific, a manufacturer of counter-terrorist vehicle control systems, announced that Delta’s MP5000 portable barrier systems were selected to protect people attending the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games, held 4-15 April on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, included 4,400 athletes from 70 Commonwealth nations throughout the world, competing in 19 championship sports. Organisers required a vehicle access system that could be rapidly deployed and would create secure vehicle checkpoints that carried crash certification.

Security focus had begun years prior to the games. The focus went beyond hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) measures to include various other identified security risks. Perimeter security measures were aligned with the recently implemented Australia and New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) strategy for the protection of places of mass gatherings. A core element of this strategy was the effective and practical implementation of HVM measures at key locations.

Delta’s MP5000 portable barricades can be installed in 15 minutes or less to protect streets, entrances or wide expanses such as access to pedestrian areas. They protect people and critical infrastructures at public events and places of mass gathering, such as the Commonwealth Games. These mobile deployable vehicle crash barriers carry a recognised K8 rating (M40 ASTM rating). They lower to let vehicles through but, when raised, they will stop a 6800 kg vehicle traveling 64 km/h. At the games, stand-alone battery operated hydraulic systems with supplementary solar power charging and remote-control operation activated the barriers and allowed a high rate of vehicle throughput in meeting specific operational requirements.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), selected Unisys to develop, operate and manage systems used for risk assessments of people and cargo entering the U.S. by the agency’s Targeting and Analysis Systems Program Directorate (TASPD).

The Unisys solution quickly deploys new capabilities like big data analytics, cloud and biometrics to help CBP officers and agents automatically identify which shipments or travellers present a low risk appropriate for ‘low touch’ automated clearance, and those that present a higher risk requiring additional investigation or inspection. This process allows CBP to avoid clearance delays by focusing resources on inspecting and analysing high-risk travellers and cargo.

New laws introducing tough penalties for people who target aircraft, road vehicles and boats with lasers have received Royal Assent in the UK. The Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act will also make it an offence to point a laser at air traffic controllers.

Under the new law, it is a crime to shine or direct a laser beam that dazzles or distracts, or is likely to dazzle or distract, air traffic controllers, pilots, captains of boats and drivers of road vehicles.

As well as widening the list to include air traffic facilities, offenders face much tougher penalties of up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

The police have also been given extra powers to catch those who misuse lasers and prosecution has been made easier by removing the need to prove there was an intention to endanger a vehicle.

Aviation Minister, Baroness Sugg said, “We are taking action to provide greater protection against irresponsible laser use. Lasers can have very serious, potentially fatal consequences and offenders should face tough penalties for endangering the lives of others. We also hope that these new measures will act as a deterrent against the misuse of lasers.”

Lasers have become a growing concern, particularly near airports where they can dazzle and distract both pilots and air traffic controllers. In 2017, UK airports reported 989 laser incidents to the Civil Aviation Authority. The most affected airport was Heathrow with 107 incidents, followed by Gatwick (70), Manchester (63) and Birmingham (59).

By removing the need for police officers to establish proof of intention to endanger a vehicle, aircraft, vessel, or air traffic control, the new law makes prosecutions easier and much more swiftly.

The legislation makes it a punishable offence if the act of shining or directly a laser beam is done deliberately or without reasonable precautions being taken to avoid doing so.

Representatives of ICE and the government of Nicaragua recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which establishes the Nicaraguan government as a participating partner in ICE/ERO’s electronic Travel Document (eTD) system.

Determining citizenship and obtaining travel documents for detained individuals is often a cumbersome process, which slows the deportation of foreign nationals held in ICE/ERO custody. The eTD system streamlines the process with participating countries by electronically providing biographic and biometric information used to determine citizenship and/or nationality for individuals. The system also allows consular officials to review and edit electronic travel documents, which can be signed using a signature pad. Documents can be printed locally by ICE/ERO personnel at detention facilities or field offices.

Foreign governments participating in the eTD system are asked to confirm the citizenship of aliens suspected to be their nationals through interviews and the review of records and documents. They are also expected to issue travel documents in a timely manner and accept the physical return of their nationals.

Thames Valley Police used QinetiQ’s vehicle stopping X-Net® technology as part of wider security plans to protect the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George’s Chapel, Windsor this May.

Thames Valley Police deployed X-Net® in Windsor, which saw crowds of an estimated 110,000 people attend to support the royal wedding. The X-Net® vehicle arresting system helped to combat the risk of vehicles being used in terror attacks.

X-Net® is a portable and non-lethal solution capable of stopping vehicles ranging from small cars through to 10 tonne lorries. The system has been extensively and independently tested and deployed with military, police and security forces around the world. It uses a unique ‘spiked’ design, which brings the target vehicle to a complete stop, under control, irrespective of the type of tyre. By wrapping around the wheels and axle of the vehicle whilst puncturing the tyres, X-Net® prevents any further manoeuvring of the threatening vehicle.

Osprey Flight Solutions has announced the signing of Virgin Atlantic as its newest client for its Flight Risk Assessment System. The system will provide Virgin Atlantic with the ability to instantaneously risk assess each flight through their own flight planning tools by using advanced data gathering and analytics and machine learning to support and improve the speed and consistency of the analysis.

By integrating Osprey’s software into their flight planning system, Virgin’s security and flight operations teams can quickly risk assess every flight, accessing high quality risk information.

Osprey gathers data from over 200,000 sources in 60 different languages; each item is multi-source corroborated, categorised, date-correlated and geo-located before being submitted to our database of over 380,000 aviation security and safety incidents and events, comprised of over 3 million data points.

Smiths Detection technology was chosen by the Ethiopian Railways Corporation to safeguard people and infrastructure on the vital new railway link between Ethiopia and the port at Djibouti. A range of 39 scanners will be deployed to prevent threats making their way onto trains at 16 major stations along the route by delivering high-speed, accurate screening for hand baggage, larger items of luggage and cargo.

The 750km line now links Addis Ababa with the sea in approximately 10 hours. This is a huge improvement on the two or three days previously needed for trucks to haul imports and exports by road between the landlocked country and the Djibouti port, which is a strategic trade hub for Asia, Europe and the rest of Africa.

The Ethiopian Railways Corporation contract was awarded following a competitive tender based on technical evaluation, reliability and reputation. Smiths Detection’s winning bid included equipment ranging from compact scanners for personal belongings to large X-ray systems for goods pallets and comprises 18 x HI-SCAN 6040i; 12 x HI-SCAN 9075HR; and nine x HI-SCAN 145180-2is.