2.1.1 Synthesis of an Anti‐Terrorist Air Transportation Security System

Abstract

AbstractThe paper explores how a systems engineering methodology, based on a diagrammatic modeling approach which adopts a variety of viewpoints and perspectives, can be used to develop an initial understanding of the air transportation system (ATS) and an assessment of its susceptibility to terrorist threats. The ATS model is extended and refined in order to incorporate existing security systems, which can be assessed with regard to the susceptible components of the ATS. Similarly, the terrorist threat capability is modeled, providing a means by which future threats may be anticipated. Analysis of the interaction points between the systems allows the air transportation system's vulnerability to specific threats to be assessed. Since there are a large number of potential attack modes, there has to be some rationalization and down‐selection in order to give focus to what are perceived to be the most serious threats. This focus leads to the identification of counter‐measure concepts that can then be built into a comprehensive integrated security system.Clearly, this topic involves high levels of security restriction. It is not the intent of this paper to enter into confidential or classified topics, but rather to illustrate how a systems engineering approach can be utilized to provide a top‐level introduction to the problem of countering terrorist threats to air transportation in order to synthesize a layered security system.