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Statement of

 

Frederick F. Muntz

 

Vice President

 

InVision Technologies, Inc.

 

Before the

 

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

 

Subcommittee on Aviation

 

U.S. House of Representatives

 

December 7, 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman Mica, Ranking Member Lipinski and members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, thank you for inviting InVision to participate in today's hearing on the Checked Baggage Screening Systems Planning for the December 31, 2002 Deadline.

 

Since my initial testimony before the committee on October 11^th, InVision has been hard at work, manufacturing and installing all 3 models of the CTX family of Explosive Detection Systems (EDS).  In addition, InVision has made significant progress in the improvement of its detection capabilities beyond the certification standard as we develop the production and utilization requirements of 100% certified EDS checked baggage screening.  As the leader and pioneer in this field, InVision brings a wealth of know how, experience and dependability to this national initiative - protecting the traveling public against terrorism.  This testimony will focus on the scope of the challenge, the resources necessary to meet the challenge and the innovations being considered to succeed.

 

Overview

 

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by Congress represents comprehensive, breakthrough legislation that will protect the traveling public now and forever.  The act establishes firm deadlines for the screening of checked baggage by December 31, 2002.

 

Various assumptions are made to capture the magnitude of production, method of implementation and number of systems needed to satisfy the '02 deadline for checked baggage.  The average number of checked bags per passenger, projected enplanements, methods of system utilization and simple arithmetic seems to result in a estimated production requirement of about 2000 units.  For the purpose of this testimony, we will use that number.

 

The implementation schemes generally discussed to satisfy the '02 deadline break down into two methods:  simple lobby installations and sophisticated integrations into the Baggage Handling System (BHS).  Standalone systems provide for fast deployment and integrated solutions are longer term requiring extensive construction and cost as they plan to scan higher volumes of bags. What are not universally discussed are the innovative ideas we are pursuing at InVision in conjunction with airlines, airports, conveyor companies, information technology (IT) developers, regulators and other industrial partners that will facilitate passenger movement, customer service and a new level of security.  These initiatives will create a flexible hybrid of technologies and processes to streamline the check-in experience and simultaneously secure checked baggage.  The problem is, prior to September 11 this was considered the "terminal of the future" and now wherever possible this must become the Terminal of two thousand and two.

 

Funding

 

In the past, legislation established a recommendation for $100 million per year and a cumulative $550 million for procurement of EDS.  The reality however, is that a good portion of the funds intended for EDS over the past 5 years went to technologies and activities other than checked baggage security and less than half of the intended funds were spent on actual EDS procurements.  Since September 11, InVision has received more orders from non-US customers than from the federal government.  Funding remains a critical factor in securing checked baggage.  Production will be a limiting factor until the commitment is made to fund the required ramp up through orders placed with EDS suppliers.  Everyday that passes without funding and equipment orders is another day of unnecessary delay in meeting the '02 deadline.  InVision has the contracts in place with FAA for the CTX 9000, 5500 and 2500.  All three products play a vital role the solution to check baggage security and should be ordered in sufficient quantities to begin an accelerated, 'war time' production.  InVision has and continues to make risk buys of long lead items to support the national emergency.  InVision will deliver systems this month to support last minute orders because of funding delays.  To provide the response required in the legislation, a greater commitment is necessary.

 

Certification Standards

 

The Aviation Security Act of 1990 established the requirement for FAA Certification of an EDS.  Contributions from FAA, NAS other agencies and 4 years of hard work defined the certification standards issued in 1993.  The standard requires that all classes of explosives in quantities deemed to be a threat to commercial aircraft must be detectible to a specific high level in conjunction with specific levels of operator alerts and throughput.  If this standard is to be changed, it should be made more stringent to accommodate the latest intelligence and most up to date threat scenarios.  As an example, InVision recently received certification on its High Detection Enhancement (HDE) software that provides 25% better detection performance than current EDS standards.  Developments of this kind allow the technology to evolve, get smarter and accommodate new threat intelligence based on software upgrades. This enhancement has no negative effect on throughput or False Alarm.  An equivalent higher detection capability is a preferential purchase item of the FAA's Argus development program. It is a development funded by InVision and an available upgrade to the CTX 5500 and 2500.

 

The public discussion of EDS certification is delicate and should not compromise security sensitive information.  However, it is safe to say that a relaxation of certification standards that would knowingly board specific threats to an aircraft is not what the traveling public is looking for in the effort to expedite a federal response.   Yes, time has been wasted.  Yes, there is much to do and the task is not trivial, but now is the time to do the right thing to establish true confidence in our aviation system and certification is the keystone to that confidence.

 

The capability of Computed Tomography (CT), has been demonstrated over the past 10 years yielding certification of two competing companies.  In spite of significant R&D investment, other technologies have failed to deliver.  With the raw data produced by CT, performance upgrades are achievable through software development.  InVision has reduced alarms that require operator review by one half since initial CTX certification.  InVision achieved certification in 1994 because the company committed significant resources to that goal.  Another manufacturer has achieved certification.  The certification standard is achievable and a necessary requirement for checked baggage security.  The certification standard can restore the true confidence of the traveling public

 

In addition, the quality of the cross sectional CTX images is absolutely essential for an operator to review and resolve alarmed bags.  Approximately 70% of the time or more, with no operator interaction, the CTX system clears bags to the plane with certified confidence that they are innocuous.  The remainder of the time, high quality cross sectional images and threat resolution tools are presented to clear the bag.  No other technology can make that claim.  The Aviation and Transportation Security Act takes the necessary next step in assuring that operators are qualified, trained and retained to optimize the total performance of our aviation security tools and further enhance the end-to-end performance of the CTX systems.

 

Production Capacity

 

InVision has provided the subcommittee a capacity ramp up plan proprietary to InVision.  It discusses the capacity and timetable for InVision to produce as many as 50 systems per month in its current facilities and multiples of that through agreements with outside resources, partners and additional facilities.  The necessary actions for such activity require planning, lead-time for implementation and of course funding. 

 

Vendor obligations have been secured to assure an accelerated production.  Additional facilities have been researched and are readily available.  Companies new to the field and experienced integrators such as Raytheon Technical Services have all expressed interest in working and teaming with InVision to produce the necessary response.  A plan to implement the technology into airports, as production increases, is essential for success and the preparation of such a plan is an ongoing activity at InVision.

 

Implementation

 

Prior to September 11^th, the implementation of EDS systems was limited to the combination of the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System or CAPPS bags selected for CTX scanning.  The legislation requires, the use of CAPPS, as its expansion and adaptation to new threat intelligence helps provide an excellent bridge to 100% scanning. 

 

Initially, systems installed in airport lobbies anticipated minimal baggage scanning requirements.  From time to time those systems were exit end integrated into a conveyor system.  More elaborate integrations into the baggage handling system were implemented to satisfy international requirements.  Even before September 11^th, our domestic air carriers recognized that fully certified CTX EDS systems were necessary to achieve true checked baggage security.  To that end, InVision has been heavily involved in the planning of a fully integrated 100% CTX 9000DSi solution at three new terminals for American Airlines. 

 

SFO international recently completed a new international terminal with a multi-level baggage handling system, designed to assure that all CAPPS bags were screened by CTX 9000DSi systems.  Since September 11, SFO has initiated a fast track plan to implement a 100% certified solution.

 

In anticipation of a 100% EDS requirement, many carriers are developing alternatives to the "either or" nature of in line versus lobby installations.  These approaches marry emerging biometric technologies, kiosk check-in transactions as ticket counter positions are eliminated in a technology based check-in procedure.  In the space provided, a bank of networked CTX scanners and operators link bag status to passenger tickets transmitting updates to checkpoint, gate and security personnel.  Several other elements of terminal design and networked security devices will accelerate adoption.

 

Summary

 

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act closed the critical gap between our federal response to the security of checked baggage and reality.  The act creates a requirement to scan all checked bags with certified Explosive Detection Systems.  All that transpired before this requirement anticipated an implementation of 100% checked baggage at a time well into the future.  The Act took the bold initiative and it is now the task of the industries and agencies involved to respond.  The requirement has spurred a tremendous investment in time and energy to determine the most expeditious response.  The investment into making the EDS systems available will determine the most suitable methods to accelerate the installation of these systems in a manner that promotes the highest level of passenger security and convenience.