Airport Communication, Environmental control, and Detection Technologies

May 26, 2010

The detection of Liquid Explosives/Pre-Cursors has been a major challenge for Aviation Security in recent years. Since 2006 major restrictions on passengers taking liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) onboard aircraft have been in place, costing the airline industry millions of pounds in increased airport security staffing, frustration for passengers and considerable lost revenue for the duty freeand travel retail industry. At the beginning of March, the European Commission announced that there would be a gradual lifting of the EU ban on air passengers carrying LAGs, to be made possible by the implementation of new LAG screening standards by aviation security. Commission Regulation (EU) No. 185/2010 details the security measures airport authorities, airport operators and air carriers must now have in place by April 2011 for screening LAGS carried by Transit Passengers and by April 2013 for ALL passengers. The KeTech Group, as NUCTECH’s UK agent, can provide the technology airports require to meet these new regulations in the form of the NUCTECH LS1516BA LAGs Screening System.

As a proven product, NUCTECH LS1516BA LAGs Screening System is able to detect explosives, flammable, and corrosive liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) as well as non-explosive precursors, without the need to open the bottle. As throughput is a key parameter in aviation security, the LS1516BA, as a Type C unit (multiple bottles in a single cycle Potential Threat Detection Equipment), is capable of analysing several containers in an impressive 8 seconds. The LS1516BA can also be used as a Type B (single bottle Threat Resolution Equipment) and so can be deployed as primary or secondary screening equipment.

Since the LS1516BA uses proven CT and other direct measurement techniques developed as a result of several years of practical experience of the detection of LAGs, the False Alarm Rate is very low compared to other techniques, whilst the Detection Percentage against the classified EU Threat List is extremely high. Unlike most other technologies the LS1516BA can be used on all types of containers including metal, opaque and clear glass, plastic etc.

Obviously exceptionally good laboratory performance regarding False Alarm Rate and Detection Probability against the classified list is only one aspect of success – how it works in a real airport deployment is also critical. This fast, cost effective, commercial off-the-shelf system is already deployed and has proven to be reliable at a number of airports throughout the World. The LS1516BA was selected for the 2008 LAGs Trial held by the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government which were conducted by Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

In Europe the LS1516BA has already been tested by several European authorities including HOSDB (UK) and STAC (France), as well as initial trials at various airports, including Heathrow and Schipol. In addition, the LS1516BA has been independently fully evaluated by the European Commission Technical Task Force and their Liquid Explosives Evaluation specialists during a successful operational trial at Frankfurt airport. As a result of the False Alarm Rate and Threat Detection performance achieved during the Frankfurt trial, the system is now on formal Operational Performance Evaluation at UK Birmingham Airport.