Statement of

Ralph S. Sheridan, President & CEO

American Science and Engineering, Inc.

Billerica, Massachusetts

Before

Aviation Sub-committee of the House Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure

September 25, 2001

Good morning, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of this committee.

On September 11, 2001, a new form of global terrorism breached the existing aviation security regimen in three airports, rendering obsolete previously held strategies for counter terrorism protection.  The discounted theory of well-financed, well-trained terrorists committing their lives en masse to accomplish their mission is today's horrific reality.  While our level of preparedness to confront this risk is woefully inadequate, technology exists today at my company and others to counter this heightened threat.  There is no single technology that alone will address sophisticated terrorists' threats at airports.  There are available today, however, a combination of technologies that working in unison could significantly improve security. Initially the application of these technologies will be expensive and cumbersome to the traveling public and to shippers.  But, with additional development funds, existing technologies can be refined to be faster, more effective and less invasive.

AS&E was one of the original X-ray pioneers responding to the Cuban hijacking epidemic of the late 60's.  In the mid 1990's we turned away from U.S. aviation because of: (1) a paucity of government funding for aviation research and development; and (2) a national strategy of reliance on deterrence with lower cost, less effective X-ray systems, rather than detection.  Instead, we focused our physicists and engineers on the development of cargo and vehicle inspection systems with funding from the Department of Defense to address the problems of drugs in trucks and cargo, as well as for the protection of military bases from El Khobar-type truck bombings.  Today, AS&E is the leader in X-ray inspection of trucks and sea containers for explosives, drugs, trade fraud, weapons, and illegal immigrants.

With regard to terrorism, the uniqueness of AS&E's technology in detecting plastic explosives has made it the overwhelming choice (more than 75%) to protect high-threat federal facilities both in Washington, DC and elsewhere.  The Capitol Police, the U.S. military, the Department of State (for protection of embassies overseas), and more than thirty other U.S. federal agencies deploy our systems for protection against sophisticated terrorist explosives and weapons.  You yourselves passed through our equipment to reach this conference room.

At the core of AS&E's non-intrusive inspection systems is Z^âBackscatter technology.  Backscatter is especially effective in the detection of explosives, composite weapons, plastics and drugs. Metallic objects such as conventional knives and firearms are often better visualized with transmission X-rays.  Without foreknowledge of the threat, it is most prudent to inspect for both by utilizing systems that combine transmission with Backscatter X-ray images.  Dual energy and CT systems that are used today also lack Z Backscatter's ability to detect organic material.  Backscatter images provide detection of plastic explosives or plastic weapons even if hidden in cluttered environments.

AS&E's inspection systems are used to detect explosives and contraband in a wide array of applications, from small packages and letters to large containers, vehicles and trucks.  In 1995, the Company introduced BodySearchÔ, the first Z Backscatter personnel inspection system for the detection of explosives, drugs, and weapons that would otherwise go undetected by metal detectors.

International governments that have a high threat of terrorism use our systems for the protection of airports, high threat government facilities and heads of state.  These include a large number of our Middle Eastern allies to protect against fundamentalist Islamic attacks.

Because of budget constraints and a narrow definition of the threat level,

U.S. airports rely on transmission-only systems for screening carry-on luggage.  Furthermore, it is my understanding that checked baggage on domestic flights was screened only occasionally, if at all, by any X-ray equipment.  The systems utilized for carry-on baggage screening at U.S. airports have historically been transmission-only X-ray systems rather than technology that combines both transmission and backscatter X-rays.  This combined, but necessary technology admittedly comes at a higher price. 

It is important to note that the U.S. Air Force uses Z Backscatter systems to scan luggage and parcels to protect flights to and from our overseas military bases.  Our equipment is also used by the U.S. Customs Service to examine baggage, mail, cargo and passengers from international arrivals at United States airports for organic concealments.  These systems could also be used to screen carry-on baggage and cargo for departures. 

This past week Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta advised "we must do whatever it takes with safety as our highest priority."  To achieve a higher threshold of safety requires fielding an integrated array of technologies.  Performance, not price, must be the criterion.  The traveling public deserves no less.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate that while our Z Backscatter technology is unique and very powerful in detecting explosives, it is only part of an integrated gauntlet of technologies that are available off-the-shelf to respond today to terrorism.   A new security regimen will initially be expensive, cumbersome and require traveler patience.  With bold funding by the government, these technologies can be refined and made more efficient and less invasive.  You now have that opportunity.  I welcome your questions.