Non-hijackable aircraft

Citation

(2007), "Non-hijackable aircraft", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779aab.011

Non-hijackable aircraft

Non-hijackable aircraft

Scientists at BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Centre in Filton, Bristol, UK, are among more than 100 aviation security and operational experts developing a futuristic on board aircraft threat detection system ... for an industry beset with security scares. The project's goals include the creation of a non-hijackable aircraft to restore full confidence in the air transport industry and to ensure a fully secure flight from departure to destination.

The four year e35.8 million project, called SAFEE or Security of Aircraft in the Future European Environment is jointly funded by the European Commission and the industrial partners involved (e19.5 million). Preliminary tests on The SAFEE systems are being started now, coinciding with the 9/11 anniversary, and will continue through 2007 using simulator tools at Toulouse, Hamburg and Amsterdam.

In the project, BAE Systems is focusing on an onboard threat detection system (OTDS) in the aircraft cabin, which will process information from video and audio sensors to detect erratic passenger behaviour. As part of this work, simulations of terrorist scenarios such as Flight 11 (one of the flights on 9/11) have been filmed using actors on-board aircraft in Filton. To date scenarios have been filmed at Filton using an old a BAE 146, in Munich using a cabin simulator and one is planned for later this year in Hamburg using an Airbus A380 cabin simulator. The OTDS will not only detect terrorist type behaviour, however, but also unruly passengers and “unruly” scenarios have been considered by BAE Systems as well.

The company is also leading the development of a threat assessment and response management system designed to assemble data and recommend appropriate responses for the cockpit crew via a computer screen. Dr Catherine Neary, Human Factors Specialist, BAE Systems, said: “How the crew and ground staff respond to perceived threats is as important as detecting the threats themselves. BAE Systems is using its expertise in surveillance and security techniques from the defence arena to support this project aimed at protecting civilians”.

SAFEE draws on past security incidents (such as Flight United 93 and Flight 11 on 9/11), which have demonstrated that would-be terrorists may be able to penetrate through the several airport controls and security measures, access an aircraft and even initiate hostile actions. There is, therefore, a need to secure the aircraft itself as the last barrier to attacks. The project is developing on-board threat detection systems with information fed back securely by the flight crew to the ground to enable the most effective decision making in the event of, at worst, a suicide hijack or an attempted bombing.

The non-hijackable aircraft's features include computer systems designed to spot suspicious passenger behaviour and a collision avoidance system that can correct the aircraft's trajectory to prevent it being steered into a building or mountain. The researchers are even investigating the possibility of developing an on-board computer that through the use of sophisticated biometric systems could identify a hijacker attempting to take control of the aircraft and guide the aircraft to the nearest airport.

In addition, the SAFEE programme includes a chip-based system which will match passengers to luggage, a biometric camera at check-in to verify passenger identity, an electronic nose to sniff out explosives before boarding and a secure cockpit biometric system which will recognise crew members by their fingerprints and check if they are opening the cockpit under duress. A data protection system to secure communications including conversations between cockpit and ground control.

SAFEE's 31 European partners include Airbus, EADS, SAGEM Défense Sécurité Thales Avionics, NLR, and Siemens as well as academic institutions such as the University of Reading.

Daniel Gaultier (SAFEE Coordinator), SAGEM Défense Sécurité said “You never reach zero level of threat, no risk. But if you equip planes with on-board electronics, it will make them very difficult to hijack”.