The Australian government is to fund an A$8.4 million ($6.2 million) Australian Customs Service programme to develop and test a neutron technology-based drugs and explosives scanner developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), writes Emma Kelly.
A commercial-scale Contraband Scanner will be established at Brisbane, Queensland airport to screen imported and exported air cargo containers.
The gamma ray and neutron analysis scanner builds an image of the object being scanned and identifies its composition, says CSIRO.
"The main advantage of the scanner is its ability to accurately and rapidly detect and predict the composition, shape and density of an object - in real time on the tarmac," it says.
A prototype system has been tested on standard air cargo containers and correctly identified a range of concealed contraband. An air-freight container can be scanned in less than 2min, says CSIRO.
The programme is part of Australia's recently announced A$93 million aviation security package, which includes the installation of hardened cockpit doors on all passenger aircraft with more than 30 seats, background checks on all pilots and trainees and the fitting of anti-theft devices to general aviation aircraft.
Source: Flight International
