A new, compact version of an advanced carry-on baggage screening system is now operational at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Developed in part by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the new design enables the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to install advanced screening technology in smaller airports that can’t fit conventional systems.
The new baggage screening system, also known as a reduced form factor-computed tomography (RFF-CT) system, was developed by TSA and S&T’s Screening at Speed programme in conjunction with Integrated Defense and Security Solutions (IDSS), which is headquartered in Boxborough, Massachusetts
“The RFF-CT system is an opportunity to reduce size, weight, and power, making it more adaptable to smaller security checkpoints common at regional airports,” said Dr John Fortune, S&T’s Screening at Speed programme manager. “This system is designed to meet the same TSA detection standards as full-size CT systems, while enabling more flexible, passenger-friendly checkpoints.”
Over the last three years, S&T and TSA have invested in the design and manufacture of the original CT screening technology systems that are now deployed at larger airports across the country, replacing the advanced technology systems which have been in use for many years. The new RFF-CT system gives TSA the option to use these smaller accessible screening systems across the country in airports with size or layout limitations, ensuring travellers are screened with CT technology.
Image: Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash
