Title: AVSEC Module 2 Presentation

THREATS TO CIVIL AVIATION

MODULE OBJECTIVES

- To learn about traditional and emerging threats to civil aviation.
- Identify targets in civil aviation and why they are such attractive targets.
- Discuss the types and motives of offenders.
- Identify common threat items used by offenders.

THREAT

- Probability of an attack being attempted on a target over a specified period time
- “For there to be a threat against a target, attackers must have both the desire to attack it, and the means to do so.” There must be motive and ability to attack

TRADITIONAL THREATS

- Hijacking of Aircraft
- Sabotage of Aircraft
- Attacks on Airport
- Sabotage of an Airport and its facilities
- Attack/sabotage against off-airport locations and facilities

EMERGING THREATS

•MANPADS – Man portable Air Defence System

Emerging Threats

- Cyber attacks
- Chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear attacks
- Use of Aircraft as a weapon
- Insider threat

Emerging Threats

Fraud and identity theft

- Fraudulent acquisition of primary documents
- Forged passports and travel documents
- Falsify credit cards, Receipts

TARGETS IN CIVIL AVIATION

A target is a person, object or place selected as the aim of an attack.

- Targets are chosen according to their importance and vulnerability
- Expected impact
- Targets that attract higher publicity

Targets In Civil Aviation

- Passengers
- Crew
- Airport employees/staff
- Aircrafts

Targets In Civil Aviation

- Airport Terminal buildings
- Cargo facilities
- Fuel storage
- Navigation facilities

Why is Civil Aviation an Attractive Target?

- High profile, Commercial Value, Prestigious & deals with multinationals.
- Incident may force a government reaction, e.g. will increase security-US (9/11), Entebbe Raid.

Why is Civil Aviation an Attractive Target?

- Air travel has expanded to more destinations, therefore more reach.
- More passengers are travelling by air.

Why is Civil Aviation an Attractive Target?

- More Airlines are setting up.
- More airports are being built.

Why is Civil Aviation an Attractive Target?

- Bigger and more technologically advanced Aircrafts (A380,B777, B787) are coming online.
- More air cargo is being delivered.

TYPES OF OFFENDERS

- Professionals – e.g. terrorist groups
- Amateurs – e.g. individuals/criminals
- Persons seeking revenge
- Mentally challenged or unstable people
- Disgruntled employees

MOTIVES OF ATTACKERS

- To gain publicity for “their cause”
- To gain release of colleagues (prisoners and other terrorists)
- To undermine, discredit and/or revenge on authorities, companies or countries who oppose their cause or they are unhappy with.

MOTIVES OF ATTACKERS

- To target individuals for assassinations who are possibly unsympathetic to their cause
- To frighten the public and disrupt “normal life”
- To obtain money by threat or blackmail

COMMON THREAT ITEMS USED

- Guns, grenades and other weapons

Common Threat Items Used

- However, most threat items used in aircrafts and airport facilities are often improvised explosive or incendiary devices, to make them harder to identify.
- Cell phone gun…

Improvised Explosive Device

- A homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than conventional military action.
- An explosive device placed or constructed by terrorists or criminals.

Improvised Explosive Device

- A switch/trigger
- A timer
- Explosive Main charge
- A power source for the switch/trigger

Improvised Explosive Device

- Experience shows these are normally of simple construction.
- Using watches, clocks, cooker timers, gas lighter filaments, torch bulbs, batteries etc.
- In later years they have become more complex e.g. using electronic timers, electro-chemical cells, barometric switches, radio controlled equipment

Improvised Explosive Device

- Chemicals easily available
- All components are legal
- Unstable
- Short shelf life
- Examples; Gunpowder, ANFO, TATP
- TATP = Hair dye + nail polish remover

Improvised Explosive Device

Improvised Explosive Device

Improvised Explosive Device

Shoe bomber-Richard Reid

Improvised Explosive Device

Umar Farouk underwear with a PETN (Semtex) explosive packet

Situational Awareness

- Always watch your surroundings;
- Watch out for the presence of the abnormal.
- Watch out for the absence of the normal.
- Beware of things that could be modified to be used to cause harm to crew, airport staff, passengers or aircraft.

MODULE SUMMARY

- Traditional and emerging threats to civil aviation.
- Targets in civil aviation and why they are such attractive targets.
- Types and motives of offenders.
- Common threat items used by offenders

Thank you