Aviation Security Research And Development At The Department Of Homeland Security

Aviation security research and development at the Department of Homeland Security: hearing before the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, April 24, 2008.

Aviation security research and development at the Department of Homeland Security : hearing before the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, April 24, 2008.

Since fiscal year 2002, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have invested over $795 million in technologies to screen passengers at airport checkpoints. The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is responsible, with TSA, for researching and developing technologies, and TSA deploys them. GAO was asked to evaluate the extent to which (1) TSA used a risk-based strategy to prioritize technology investments; (2) DHS researched, developed, and deployed new technologies, and why deployment of the explosives trace portal (ETP) was halted; and (3) DHS coordinated research and development efforts with key stakeholders. To address these objectives, GAO analyzed DHS and TSA plans and documents, conducted site visits to research laboratories and nine airports, and interviewed agency officials, airport operators, and technology vendors.

TSA has implemented numerous initiatives designed to enhance aviation security, but has collected limited information on the effectiveness of these initiatives in protecting commercial aircraft. Our recent work on passenger screening found that little testing or other data exist that measures the performance of screeners in detecting threat objects. However, TSA is taking steps to collection data on the effectiveness of its security initiatives, including developing a 5-year performance plan detailing numerous performance measures, as well a implementing several efforts to collect performance data on the effectiveness of passenger screening-such as fielding the Threat Image Projection System and increasing screener testing.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001, there has been a plethora of legislation and acts resulting in security screening of airline passengers and their baggage to the deployment of newer and more updated security technologies, aimed at closing this alarming gap in security. This new book examines additional proposals and actions not only from Congress, but the FAA as well. Contents: Preface; Aviation Security Technologies and Procedures: Screening Passengers and Baggage; Selected Aviation Security Legislation in the Aftermath of the September 11 Attack; Vulnerabilities in, and Alternatives for, Pre-board Screening Security Operations; Terrorist Acts Demonstrate Urgent need to Improve Security at the Nations' Airports Operations; Weaknesses in Airport Security and Options for Assigning Screening Responsibilities; Vulnerabilities and Potential Improvements for the Air Cargo System; Transportation Security Administration Faces Immediate and Long-Term Challenges; Registered Traveller Program Policy and Implementation Issues; Index.