Intrusion Detection Systems to be installed in all hyper-sensitive airports by 2023 - Here's what we know

A safe and robust airport perimeter fencing acts as the very first line of defence against security risks and potential threats at airports. Failure to install one that meets all safety regulations could thereby result in an increased number of security breaches.

Representative | Senstar

All hyper-sensitive airports in the country shall install the PIDS by December 31, 2023 as per minimum technical specification... Further, non-RCS greenfield airports shall plan installation of PIDS at design stage itself for the purpose of obtaining clearance of design stage security vetting in terms of rule 5 (3) of the Aircraft (Security) Rules 2011BCAS stated in the circular which comes into force with immediate effect

According to a circular released by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), all hyper-sensitive airports in India are advised to have a perimeter intrusion detection system installed by December 2023. While airports that come under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) will plan the installation at the development stage itself, Greenfield airports that don't fall under the scheme will also have the system installed-the circular said.

Why has the government ordered the installation now?

According to the 2011 World Airport Traffic Report by ACI (Airport Council International), worldwide airport passenger numbers increased by 5.3% in 2011 to 5.44 billion and global passenger traffic is expected to top 12 billion by 2031.

Videotec

While a fortune has been spent on internal screening measures, explosives detection systems and air cargo security for airports, the focus has been comparatively less on the actual physical security of the airport.

Timely detection and intervention of external threats would ensure the safety and the security of the passengers, crew, ground personnel, and the general public while also safeguarding against all acts of ‘unlawful interference with civil aviation.

List of hyper-sensitive airports in India:

S.NoAirport1Amritsar2IGI Delhi3Jaipur4Varanasi5Lucknow6Agartala7Bagdogra8Guwahati9Imphal10Kolkata11Raipur12Bengaluru13Chennai14Hyderabad15Mumbai16Pune17Jodhpur18AhmedabadSource

Intrusion Detection System | How does it work?

While airports today feature advanced security measures which integrate multiple screening layers, body scanners and explosion detection tools, the actual physical security of the airport has been relegated to the back seat. With the growing incidence of sophisticated security attacks and evolving threats, it becomes highly imperative to plan the overall physical infrastructure in a way that drives actionable intelligence.

Perimeter security is both a fundamental and critical aspect of any airport security strategy.

Representative | Optex Principle

As unique as every airport design is, how the perimeters of airports are protected, will have to be customised to suit each airport.

Traditional methods of protection include fence systems and fence alarms. They are often susceptible to false alarms and often while it sounds, the security breach is either in progress or has already occurred.

Radar and thermal imaging

Representative | Defense Studies

Although they operate in different modes, it allows suspects to be spotted and tracked as soon as they enter pre-defined zones. Simply put, they can be monitored potentially while they are still beyond the perimeter and can be tracked if they cross it.

Taut wire

Representative | Senstar

Taut wire signals fence movement or tampering, although it can be quite expensive over long distances.

Fibre optics

Fibre optic cable is designed to detect and pinpoint the location of intrusion anywhere on the airport perimeter fence, providing real-time reporting of intrusion. They require no electronics, power or infrastructure in the field, thereby making it impervious to external weather conditions and hence, no change in sensitivity and virtually no nuisance alarms

Access control system (ACS)

Representative | Source

ACS is a subsystem that supports intrusion detection systems in controlling access to individuals to certain areas of an airport.

Volumetric sensing

Representative | Detection Technologies Blog

Volumetric sensing monitors the physical space adjacent to fence lines for system penetration. Typically infrared, microwave or proximity sensors but can also be CCTV with Video Analytics.

Video Analytics analyses CCTV video for specific data, behaviour, or objects and is not to be confused with video motion detection (VMD)-they are prone to nuisance alarms.

The massive scale of infrastructure and the magnitude of people concentrated in a particular location makes airports worldwide attractive targets for terrorism and other forms of crime. Implementing one or more of these solutions, would ensure timely prevention of security breaches and hence avert loss of life or property.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: OptaSense

Sri Lanka will soon resume flights from Jaffna to India, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday, June 14 as he asked tourism authorities to draw up plans to attract more Indian tourists.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said it has plans to attract 800,000 tourists during the rest of the year.

Sri Lanka's national carrier - Sri Lankan Airlines along with Air India and IndiGo operate direct flights to Jaffna.

Sri Lanka to resume flights from Jaffna to India

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe instructed to resume flights from Jaffna's Palaly airport to Indian destinations to facilitate travel. This was discussed during a meeting held with the industry stakeholders.

Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most populous city.

The majority of the city's population are Sri Lankan Tamils with a significant number of Sri Lankan Moors, Indian Tamils and other ethnic groups present in the city before the civil war. Most Sri Lankan Tamils are Hindus followed by Christians, Muslims and a small Buddhist minority.

Most Sri Lankan Tamils are Hindus followed by Christians, Muslims and a small Buddhist minority.

India in May re-emerged as Sri Lanka's top inbound tourist market with 5,562 arrivals while over 3,723 came from the UK.

However, the total number of international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in May plunged by almost 52%, in comparison to April and 72% in comparison to March.

The tourist arrivals have lessened due to the effects of the current economic and political situation in the country with main market countries issuing adverse travel advisories. Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.

Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.

The economic crisis has prompted an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and other fuel, toilet paper, and even matches, with Sri Lankans being forced to wait in lines lasting hours outside stores to buy fuel and cooking gas.

The island nation's economic downturn was largely blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic with the island nation's tourism revenue and inward remittances waning.

ALSO READ - Air India to cut flights to crisis-hit Sri Lanka due to poor demand

ALSO READ - Sri Lanka’s new government plans to sell its national airline to stem losses

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on June 14 approved the Dholera International Airport project in Gujarat.

The airport, which will be connected by highways, a rapid transport system and railways, will be owned by the Airports Authority of India and the government of Gujarat, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said. The development will be funded by the equity of 40% and 60% debt.

Thakur said that an investment of INR 1,305 crore will be spent in phase one of the Dholera airport which is expected to be completed in four years. The airport would be developed in three phases for INR 1,712 crore.

Gujarat's Dholera International Airport approved by CCEA; first phase by 2025-26

The airport was earlier expected to start operations by December 2023, however, with the delays, the first phase should be completed by 2025-26.

The government expects the Dholera airport to cater to 3,00,000 passengers and handle 20,000 tonnes of cargo in 2026.

During Phase-1, a 3,200-metre-long runway will be built for type 4E aircraft, in Phase-2, the same runway would be extended to 3,800 metres. And in Phase-3, the second runway will be built.

The Gujarat government has allocated 1,427 hectares of land for the project, and 75 hectares of government land have been allocated for commercial development.

In the next 20 years, the Dholera airport is expected to handle 2,33,000 tonnes of cargo and cater to 23 lakh passengers, Thakur said.

Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL) was set up in 2012 by the Gujarat government to develop the airport, which is now a joint venture between AAI with a 51% stake, the Government of Gujarat has 33% and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust have 16% stake.

The new facility is being set up in greenfield city under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project at Dholera.

Located around 100 km from Ahmedabad, Dholera Airport is expected to be an alternative to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

The Airports Authority of India had in February issued tenders for the construction of the first phase of an international airport at Dholera entailing an investment of INR 987 crore.

The Gujarat government has allocated 1,427 hectares of land for the project, and 75 hectares of government land have been allocated for commercial development.

Located around 100 km from Ahmedabad, Dholera Airport is expected to be an alternative to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of the entire shareholding in AirAsia India by Air India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, the competition regulator said on Twitter.

AirAsia India is majority-owned by Tata Sons with a shareholding of 83.67%. AirAsia Investment Ltd, part of Malaysia’s AirAsia Group, holds the rest of the stake in AirAsia India.

https://twitter.com/CCI_India/status/1536661192995110912

Air India had sent a proposal to the Competition Commission of India to acquire AirAsia India in April. As part of the deal, Air India would take over AirAsia's 16.3% stake in AirAsia India for around INR 139 crore.

Deals beyond a certain threshold require the approval of CCI, which works to foster competition as well as curb anti-competitive practices in the marketplace.

Tatas raised their stake in AirAsia India to 83.67% in December 2020 and are likely to complete the acquisition of the remaining 16% stake from Malaysian airline group AirAsia Berhad.

ALSO READ - Vistara may merge with Air India, decision expected by end of 2023

An integration of Vistara’s business with Air India is likely to take time as negotiations are still underway with Singapore Airlines.

Tata Sons also runs the carrier Vistara in partnership with Singapore Airlines. An integration of Vistara’s business with Air India is likely to take time as negotiations are still underway with Singapore Airlines.

Tata Sons have also begun the task of consolidating its four airlines through a proposed merger — of AirAsia India Pvt Ltd (AAIPL) with Air India (AI) — and bringing them together under one roof at a seven-lakh-square-feet mega office in Gurgaon.

ALSO READ - Air India intends to purchase a 100% stake in AirAsia India; Tatas to relocate all 4 airlines to Gurgaon

Tata Group is also looking to significantly expand the international operations of Air India Express in the next five years

The move is expected to help Air India subsidiary Air India Express significantly expand its international operations.

ALSO READ - Tata Sons working on a merger between AirAsia India and Air India Express

AirAsia India, which started flying in June 2014, offers scheduled air passenger transport, air cargo transport and charter flight services in the country. It does not have international operations.

Tata Group is also looking to significantly expand the international operations of Air India Express in the next five years and will look to infuse USD 75-100 million into the airline as part of its expansion plans.

ALSO READ - Air India Express plans massive international expansion in the next 5 years

CCI approval will also help the salt-to-steel conglomerate consolidate its aviation entities including Singapore Airlines Ltd’s local joint venture Vistara, AirAsia India Pvt Ltd, Air India and Air India Express.

CCI approval will also help the salt-to-steel conglomerate consolidate its aviation entities including Singapore Airlines Ltd’s local joint venture Vistara, AirAsia India Pvt Ltd, Air India and Air India Express.

The combined entity of Air India and AirAsia India will have a 15.7% share of India’s domestic passenger market and is not expected to affect the competitive landscape in the aviation market in India.

On January 27 of this year, Tata Sons purchased Air India through its wholly-owned subsidiary Talace in a deal of INR 18,000 crore in equity and debt.

AirAsia India, which started flying in June 2014, offers scheduled air passenger transport, air cargo transport and charter flight services in the country.

Deals beyond a certain threshold require competition watchdog CCI’s approval. AirAsia India, which started flying in June 2014, offers scheduled air passenger transport, air cargo transport and charter flight services in the country.

ALSO READ - Singapore Competition Commission concerned about Tata Group’s acquisition of Air India

Meanwhile, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore recently expressed concern over the Tatas acquiring Air India as three related entities - Singapore Airlines, Tata Sons and Vistara - have "overlapping passenger routes" between India and the city state, saying it needed to "assess further" whether there was sufficient competition from other unrelated airlines such as IndiGo.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, looks close to inducting its first freighter plane as it seeks to capture the boom in air cargo driven by the pandemic.

An IndiGo CarGo-branded aircraft was spotted this week at Seletar Airport in Singapore’s north east. Seletar is a much smaller airport than Changi Airport, serving mainly private jets, and a few regional commercial flights and hosting a hub for maintenance and repair shops.

The dedicated cargo jet, registered as 9H-AMQ, is an Airbus SE A321P2F (Passenger To Freighter) that’s previously been used by carriers including Aeroflot PJSC, Lithuanian group Avion Express UAB and Thomas Cook Airlines, according to Planespotters.net.

First CarGo freighter of IndiGo to be delivered soon; spotted at Seletar Airport

A representative for IndiGo said delivery to India was likely to be in August although a precise date has yet to be advised.

ALSO READ - IndiGo expected to induct its first A321 freight aircraft

Demand for dedicated cargo jets jumped when Covid-19 culled air travel and carriers weren’t able to transport freight in the belly hold of passenger aircraft, which were grounded.

Pre-pandemic, around 60% of all international air-cargo capacity flew in the holds of passenger jets, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Carriers resorted to temporarily converting some passenger jets to freighter planes, pulling out seats to carry packages and boxes inside their main cabins.

Carriers resorted to temporarily converting some passenger jets to freighter planes, pulling out seats to carry packages and boxes inside their main cabins.

In October 2020, it was first learned that IndiGo's CEO Ronojoy Dutta was looking into the possibility of cargo-only operations.

InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., which operates IndiGo, said in 2021 that it planned to source four converted A321ceo planes, which can each carry 27 tonnes, for full-time cargo operations on both domestic and international routes.

The conversion of the A321ceo into a freight aircraft, which IndiGo is expected to induct in May, is taking place in Singapore.

The A321P2F is part of that strategy, which is being worked upon through a program involving Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmBH, the joint venture company of Singapore's ST Engineering and Airbus. It can carry 27 tonnes of cargo, nearly double the belly capacity of a standard A321.

The conversion of the A321ceo into a freight aircraft, which IndiGo is expected to induct in May, is taking place in Singapore.

The planemaker also offers freighter versions of its A330 airplane, but it hasn't tasted much success since its launch in 2010.

However, it does have high hopes for the A350F model, which will compete with Boeing's new freighter based on the Boeing 777X and already has 29 orders and commitments from five customers.

It said it expected to take delivery of its first freighter in the first half of 2022 and the remaining three within a year of that first delivery. 

The aircraft are being converted through a program involving Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, the joint venture company of Singapore’s ST Engineering and Airbus. The plane spotted by Bloomberg News was in an ST Engineering hanger.

IndiGo planned to source 4 converted A321ceo planes, which can each carry 27 tonnes, for full-time cargo operations on both domestic and international routes.

IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Dutta said during the airline’s fourth-quarter earnings call that cargo grew 31% year-over-year. “Cargo is strong and all the signs are there that cargo will continue to be very strong going forward," Dutta said.

ALSO READ - InterGlobe Enterprises and UPS announce MOVIN – new B2B logistics joint venture

InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd., InterGlobe Aviation’s parent, has also teamed with United Parcel Service Inc. to tap India’s ballooning logistics market. New brand MOVIN will focus on domestic business-to-business logistics and begin services in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru in July.

(With Inputs from Bloomberg)

Cover Image - Bloomberg

Launched at the World Defense Show in Riyadh on 7 March, the technology company MARSS, headquartered in Monaco, has unveiled a new high-speed interceptor for use during counter-unmanned air system (C-UAS) operations.

Internet Cloning

In what is touted to be the world's-first ‘drone killer’, that can reportedly knock out aerial threats at 80 metres per second, the design of the drone which is basically a quadcopter-type model with two 90cm-diameter wings, was designed in response to the growing and evolving threat posed by hostile drone operators.

The issue is: you need to protect your critical infrastructure in the middle of urban areas – you can’t put a missile system in the middle of a city. How do you counter such a drone threat without creating more collateral damage?MARSS chief executive Johannes Pinl

SuperYacht Times

Apparently, a hostile drone attack against a Saudi facility eight years ago pushed forward the need to develop countermeasures against such attacks-he said.

With increasing weaponisation and nefarious use of drones in civilian and military operations, the British team at MARSS has developed a rapid interceptor to neutralize potential threats.

The MARSS Interceptor

EDR Magazine

Tech and specs

Offering an intelligent, cost-effective and low collateral solution to neutralising hostile drones, the MARSS Interceptor is fully integrated with NiDAR C-UAS and is capable of defeating category I & II drones head-on from up to 5km.

Touted to be the fastest interceptor on the market, the MARSS Interceptor is essentially a dual fixed-wing and quadcopter flight. Capable of fully automatic vertical launch, the interceptor knocks out hostile drones using solely kinetic force without the use of any explosive or jet fuel.

How is it launched and the targets intercepted?

1. Launch

MARSS

The Interceptor is housed in a vertical smart launcher and connected to the NiDAR sensor infrastructure.

2. Target Acquisition

MARSS

The operator launches Interceptor via a vertical smart launcher which in turn acquires the target using an onboard AI imaging infrared seeker.

3. Flight Pursuit

MARSS

Once the target is identified, the interceptor chases it with dogfight manoeuvrability, at altitudes exceeding 2km, and high speeds over 80m/s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL8HxJ7wuZo

Specs

Range5kmAltitude2kmSpeed80 m/sWeight<10kgDimensionsWingspan 90cmPropulsionNon-energetic jet driveOnboard sensorEO/IRSalvo firing>3 in 10 secsTracking sensorGround NiDAR handover to onboard sensor and verificationMARSS

The concept essentially has all of the machine learning and image processing intelligence that we use on our ground-based sensor systems but is able to fly extremely fast over several kilometres and physically impact the threat drone systemStephen Scott, head of research and development

What sets the whole design apart is that since it doesn't involve projectiles or missiles and depends solely on kinetic energy to down rogue drones, it becomes that much more feasible to be used in everyday settings- providing a visible counter-measure at major public events, for instance.

MARSS’s focus is about protecting infrastructure and protecting people and you can imagine it being deployed to protect critical national infrastructure globally or for large events, for instance the Olympics and big football and sporting events. Because it’s entirely software-controlled we are able to limit who uses it, where they use it and what they use it againstStephen Scott

The interceptor is currently being developed in the company’s Bristol research and development office and is slated to be available to customers about a year from now.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: EDR Magazine