The outlook for whole body imaging: Image and reality

Smith Detection's eqo scanning system

When President Obama emerged from an after-action meeting of his national security team in the White House on January 5 -- called to review the vulnerabilities revealed by the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day -- the distinction between 'image' and 'reality' became more apparent.

The image the president hoped to convey to the media and the public was that of a strong-willed commander-in-chief, on top of his subject matter and determined to ensure that a similar 'systemic failure' in U.S. counter-terrorist efforts never occurs again.

When President Obama emerged from an after-action meeting of his national security team in the White House on January 5 -- called to review the vulnerabilities revealed by the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day -- the distinction between 'image' and 'reality' became more apparent.

The image the president hoped to convey to the media and the public was that of a strong-willed commander-in-chief, on top of his subject matter and determined to ensure that a similar 'systemic failure' in U.S. counter-terrorist efforts never occurs again.

The reality is that the technologies to screen passengers for explosives concealed beneath their clothes have existed for years. But the political will to identify aviation security as a higher national priority than personal privacy has been eroding in Washington since 9/11, particularly on Capitol Hill, and this phenomenon has slowed the adoption of some of the latest passenger screening technologies.

During the White House meeting, the president received a briefing from DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano on the initial findings of her department's review of aviation screening, technology and procedures. 'I'm pleased that this review is drawing on the best science and technology, including the expertise of Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and his department,' said Obama, before promising that these initial reviews by his administration will be completed this week.

He pointed out that his administration has already instituted new screening and security procedures on all domestic and international flights, more explosive detection teams, more air marshals on airliners, and closer cooperation with international partners. 'As of yesterday, the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is requiring enhanced screening for passengers flying into the United States from, or flying through, nations on our list of state sponsors of terrorism, or other countries of interest,' he added.

In addition to sharpening the intelligence community's focus on sharing and analyzing vital bits of terrorist data, the president pledged to keep pace with the threatening actions of violent extremists. 'As they refine their tactics, we'll enhance our defenses,' the president promised, 'including smarter screening and security at airports, and investing in the technologies that might have detected the kind of explosives used on Christmas.'

Though he didn't say it explicitly, Obama was referring to two different 'whole body' imaging technologies – millimeter wave and backscatter X-ray – which have the ability to penetrate clothing and present clear images of concealed objects, such as packages of deadly explosives, lethal chemicals, guns, knives or other weapons.

About three weeks before the failed 'underwear bombing' attempt, TSA had approved the use of the ProVision active millimeter wave advanced imaging technology, which is supplied by New York City-based L-3 Communications, for use at U.S. aviation checkpoints.

'We have worked closely with TSA over the past several years,' said Thomas Ripp, president of L-3 Security & Detection Systems, in a prepared statement at that time. 'We have supplied more than 40 systems deployed at 19 airports to ensure that ProVision meets key detection and privacy requirements while delivering strong throughput performance.'

TSA let an indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to L-3 for these millimeter wave systems on December 30, industry sources say.

Similarly, TSA has approved the use of Torrance, CA-based Rapiscan's Backscatter X-ray systems at airport passenger screening sites.

Those two companies may have grabbed the early lead with TSA, but other security suppliers are also vying for a slice of the whole body imaging market.

For example, Smiths Detection, a diversified imaging and detection company based in the UK, which maintains its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey, has been developing its own eqo millimeter wave passenger detection system for years. The eqo is currently in the process of being evaluated by technical specialists at TSA's Transportation Security Laboratory in Atlantic City, NJ.

Personnel at the TSA lab have been subjecting the Smiths Detection system to a carefully prescribed test protocol for months, in an effort to determine its capabilities and compare it to other available detection devices, explained Brook Miller, a Smith Detection vice president. Once the lab tests are completed, TSA plans to take the eqo out into the field for operational testing, said Miller.

Another security company whose whole body imager is waiting in the wings is American Science and Engineering, Inc., known as AS&E, of Billerica, MA. AS&E's Z Backscatter system, called SmartCheck, was developed in the early 1990s, has been on the market for approximately four years, and was used in a pilot program by TSA in 2007, according to Joe Reiss, AS&E's vice president of marketing.