TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORT OF SECURITY DEVELOPMENT OF EXPLOSIVES DETECTION EQUIPMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (FROM NEW CONCEPTS SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP ON DETECTION & IDENTIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES, 1978 - SEE NCJ-58392)

• NCJ Number: 58395
• Author(s): J A REED
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS FOR DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES IN GREAT BRITAIN IS PRESENTED, WITH A FOCUS ON THE EFFORTS MADE BY BRITISH AIRWAYS.

Abstract

THE FACT THAT THE FIELD ANALYTICAL KITS USED BY BRITISH BOMB DISPOSAL OFFICERS, TOWARDS THE END OF WORLD WAR II, REQUIRED 6 TO 8 HOURS TO WORK, SPURRED EFFORTS BY THE BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND BRITISH AIRWAYS TO DEVELOP A QUICKER DETECTION METHOD. THE DETECTION DEVICES DEVELOPED BY PYE DYNAMICS LTD. WERE BASED ON THE ELECTRON CAPTURE DETECTOR (E.C.D.), A DEVICE DERIVED FROM GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY PRACTICE. THE FIRST EQUIPMENT USING THIS PRINCIPLE WAS THE PD1 WHICH WENT INTO SERVICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND STILL IS BEING USED UNDER OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS. THE EQUIPMENT, CARRIED AND OPERATED BY ONE PERSON, CONSISTS OF A HAND UNIT, A BACKPACK MOUNTED ON A STANDARD CARRYING FRAME, AND AN INTERCONNECTING CABLE. HOWEVER, THE PD1 HAS PROVED TO BE UNACCEPTABLE FOR USE BY POLICE, SECURITY FORCES, AND AIRPORTS BECAUSE OF ITS WEIGHT AND SLOW CYCLE TIME. A SECOND GENERATION DETECTOR (PD2) WAS DEVELOPED TO INCORPORATE IMPROVED ELECTRONICS AND VALVE SYSTEMS. THE UNIT IS LIGHTER IN WEIGHT, IS COMPLETELY PORTABLE, AND CAN BE USED BY UNSKILLED OPERATORS. IN THE HANDS OF EXPERTS, THE PD2 CAN PERFORM MORE SOPHISTICATED CHECKS WITH CONSIDERABLE ACCURACY. ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF BOTH THE PD1 AND THE PD2 IS THE USE OF THE CARRIER GAS, ARGON, WHICH, IF NOT OF THE HIGHEST GRADE, COULD CAUSE THE DETECTOR TO FALSE ALARM. THE PD3 UNIT HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP A DETECTION SYSTEM WHICH INCORPORATES NEARLY EVERY FEATURE WHICH SECURITY EXPERTS WOULD EXPECT IN AN IDEAL DEVICE. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS VERY SIMPLE TO OPERATE, AND NO TRAINING IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT. FURTHERMORE, NO COMPLEX DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE IS NECESSARY. THE FACT THAT THE UNIT REQUIRES NO AUXILIARY GAS SUPPLY AND CONTAINS NO RADIOACTIVE COMPONENTS REPRESENTS A MAJOR TECHNICAL ADVANCE. THE UNIT IS ALSO ECONOMICAL TO OPERATE. ALTHOUGH K-9 DOGS ARE ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE IN DETECTING EXPLOSIVES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, DOGS DO NOT PERFORM AT A CONSISTENT LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)