Defense Technology International - May 2008 - (Page 22)

DISPATCHES GLOBAL X-RAY MARKS THE SPOT Truck-scanning system detects security threats at sprawling base knives and box cutters, along with more dangerous items like cell phone SIM (subscriber identity module) cards and thumb drives, the truck goes through a ﬁnal and PAUL MCLEARY•CAMP TAJI, IRAQ unforgiving check: a run through the very weekday afternoon, trucks tary installations across Iraq and Af- truck-mounted Vehicle and Cargo Inspecline up in neat rows in the dusty ghanistan—are classiﬁed, but some as- tion System (Vacis). Manufactured by Science Applicastaging area outside Gunners pects have made it through the military’s Gate at Camp Taji, Iraq, 32 km. north vetting process. Soldiers of the 2nd Bn., tions International Corp., Vacis is stanof Baghdad. The drivers will spend the 11th Field Artillery Regt., man the gate. dard at shipyards worldwide. It blasts night here, waiting until the gate opens Trained as artillerymen, the shortage of the vehicle with gamma rays that prothe next morning so they can go through manpower—and lack of targets for the duce radiographic images on a ﬂatscreen the three-step security process to enter big guns to shoot at—have transformed monitor manned by an attendant in the the 2/11 into a security detachment. The truck cab. Once a truck pulls up and is the base and deliver their goods. Gunners Gate handles about 100 vehi- situation is, as an officer in Baghdad positioned under the scanning arm of the system, the machine scans the vecles a day, everything from Bongo trucks jokes, an “Iraqism.” Capt. Justin Cuff and Lt. Col. Joseph hicle for 4-5 min. The scan penetrates (small ﬂatbeds used for hauling light loads) to large tractor-trailers and dump trucks Gleichenhaus took this reporter on a tour 6.25 in. of steel. During a demonstration that showed ﬁlled with gravel for construction projects. of the security system at Gunners Gate in Every vehicle, no matter how small, under- February. After vehicles go through two a darkened spot in the bumper of the goes three searches before entering the searches, which regularly turn up fake vehicle, Staff Sgt. Cottrell Caldwell, who base, beginning with a general check and identification cards, as well as banned was manning the system, said, “Right identiﬁcation check, followed by a physical items like shovels, fire extinguishers, here in the middle there’s a square object. Even using a mirror search. A Military Working under the truck won’t alDog unit also prowls the A LOOK INSIDE low you to see this.” line of trucks, searching The drivers are creative for bombs. One method used to examine cargo shipments for the makings about where they hide The general check inof terrorist weapons is a scanning device called Vacis, for items, but security concludes a brieﬁng from the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System. The truck-mounted system cerns prohibit some of the on-site Iraqi interpreter uses gamma rays, emitted by cesium or cobalt, and hundreds of more interesting ﬁnds, and advanced sensors that can detect anomalies in density within on what items are allowed the container. how they were disguised, or prohibited, and it’s here 3. The beam is picked from being divulged. that drivers are expected 1. A cargo container is up by a vertical Pfc. Richard Spitzer, to hand over unauthorized slowly driven past the Vacis array of sensors. monitoring a video screen goods. Following this is the truck, or vice versa. A computer conon which X-ray images of physical search, where a verts the data into CARGO an image that retrucks are shown, says soldier opens all compartCONTAINER sembles an X-ray, the 2/11 is adept at recments in the vehicles and and software ognizing objects in parts checks under seats, wheels converts the gray of vehicles that shouldn’t wells and other hiding tones to color to be there. “When you add make contrasts places. This happens as more evident. BEAM even a Coke can, it adds the driver is searched in a more density to the area, separate area. so the object sticks out,” The trucks begin lining he says. In several demonup the afternoon before strations he found objects they enter the base due that would have been alto the fact that the gate lowed through if the veis swamped with vehicle hicle had been visually traffic in the mornings, inspected, no matter how and it generally takes vigilant the searcher. ■ several hours for a truck 2. A scanner on an arm sends to make it all the way VACIS out a beam of gamma radiation TRUCK through the process. that penetrates the container Read McLeary's walls. Many security meaposts on DTI's weblog, Source: Science Applications International Corp. sures taken at Gunners Ares, updated daily: Gate—and at other miliAviationWeek.com/ares E 22 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL MAY 2008 AviationWeek.com/dti http://AviationWeek.com/ares http://AviationWeek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - May 2008

Defense Technology International - May 2008 Contents Around the World Science Watch Tech Watch Learn and Live Think Again Vive la Difference En Route Out of the Box Package Deal On Watch Inside Job Programs Update The Net Back to the Future Busy Signal Mighty Mites Hull of an Idea Tough Enough Cutting Edge First Person In Review Insight

Defense Technology International - May 2008

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