NCJ Number
220993
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 5 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2007 Pages: 14,16,18,20
Date Published
August 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines some of the latest developments in perimeter security as it applies to water treatment plants, airports, and air traffic control facilities.
Abstract
Among security measures for water treatment plants are electric gates with communications connected to the duty operator, who confirms a visitor's identity and opens the gate. Other measures include motion sensors, ultrasound intrusion detection systems, camera surveillance, and water-testing technology. New developments in airport security include the use of advanced technology to interconnect an airport's existing communications devices into an actual and/or virtual emergency command center. In an effort to improve security for air traffic control facilities, an Italian partnership of research, air-traffic-control, government, and academic agencies/institutions launched a research project entitled Security of Airport Structures (SAS). The main objective of the SAS project is to design, validate, and deploy a specific barrier system for protecting air traffic radio communication facilities from malicious disruption and specifically to acts of ecoterrorism. The project is focusing on VHF Omnidirectional Range stations and antenna installation widely distributed over the territory. They are fundamental in determining the flying coordinates of civilian aircraft, thus playing a fundamental role in air traffic control. The security solutions obtained for these particular sites could easily be extended to other critical facilities with similar types of demands. The project will be completed in November 2007. The results will be available to any air traffic control agency in the European Union.