TSA expands scanning tech
New tech for baggage and identity scanning will continue to roll out at airports across the country, said TSA's top manager.
The Transportation Security Administration will continue to expand 3-D baggage scanning and credential authentication technologies in the coming year, said the agency's administrator.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske, said in an Aug. 10 blog post that in the coming year, his agency will continue to expand deployment of Computed Tomography X-ray machines at the nation's airports, as well as expand the deployment of credential authentication technology.
Pekoske said CT X-ray capabilities can identify threats in finer detail and possibly eliminate the need for passengers to take out liquids and electronics from their carry-on luggage. The technology also applies algorithms for explosives and creates a three-dimensional image that can be manipulated in three axes on visual display by TSA officers.
TSA announced on July 30 that it would have up to 40 CT scanners in place at airports around the country by the end of this year, with 16 more in testing facilities. By the end of fiscal 2019, the agency said, it plans on having more than 145 in place. TSA began testing CT last June at Boston's Logan International Airport and Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport.
Pekoski said the agency also has "made great strides" in deploying identity technologies, including testing and expanding use of credential authentication technology (CAT), to match passenger photo IDs against the Secure Flight database. CAT testing has expanded to 42 systems at 13 airports, from a start of 17 systems at seven airports a few years ago.