-Science Applications International Corporation STATEMENT OF DR. HADI BOZORGMANESH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CONCERNING THE THERMAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION (TNA) BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 21, 1989 SAIC Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee. My name is Hadi Bozorgmanesh and I am a Corporate Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), an employee owned company based in California. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before the Subcommittee today to present to you SAIC's effort in research, development and demonstration of the Thermal Neutron Activation (TNA) Explosive Detection System (EDS) and express our determination and capability to manufacture large quantities of TNA units during the next 18 months. First about SAIC and its employees. Employee owned and operated, SAIC is a diversified high-technology company focusing primarily in the areas of national security, energy, environment and health, and high technology products. Founded in 1969 by a small group of research scientists, SAIC has grown into an organization of more than 10,000 people with revenues in excess of $850 million. SAIC is truly a unique company -- probably the only company of its size that is so thoroughly owned and controlled by the employees and so thoroughly dedicated to the national interest. Mr. Chairman, for the past three and a half years SAIC has been the Federal Aviation Administration's prime contractor to develop a practical way to detect explosives in airline luggage and cargo. In winning competitively the opportunity to work with the FAA to develop the TNA explosive detector, SAIC committed to an aggressive but orderly program of research, development and demonstration culminating in highly successful FAA-run tests of two prototypes at the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports from June 1987 to March 1988. Simply stated, thermal neutron analysis involves the process of probing, via neutrons, the characteristic elements of explosives, such as nitrogen, and detection and analysis of signature emission of these elements. The video will further describe the TNA process. 1 The science and technology of thermal neutron activation is neither very new nor very revolutionary. The application of TNA in a number of industrial and scientific arenas has been with us for decades. For example, in 1977 SAIC developed the first TNA unit for on-line analysis of the sulfur and BTU content of coal and other minerals. Today, products utilizing TNA are in routine operation in coal, cement and other industries. What is exciting, however, is the tremendous advances in automated signal processing achieved through the FAA/SAIC collaboration leading to the development of a highly precise and rapid explosive detection system using the TNA technique. Indeed the capability of the TNA to detect all types of civilian and military explosives with an extremely high degree of accuracy (95 percent) and a low false alarm rate of less than 4 percent was demonstrated in over 40,000 tests performed by the FAA in the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports with actual bags on a real-time basis. It should be emphasized that the system can be operated at close to 100 percent detection probability with a modest increase in false alarm rate. Another noteworthy conclusion from the FAA test was that this high success rate was attained in finding minimal quantities of explosives, and the rate would be even higher in detecting larger amounts of explosive material. In addition, in all cases the operationally acceptable rate of 10 bags per minute was maintained. I would also note that the EDS automatically alerts the operator in the event of a possible explosive, removing the problem of operator fatigue associated with X-ray scanning systems. In June of 1988, based on the remarkable performance of the two TNA prototypes, the FAA requested SAIC to build and deliver five TNA systems by mid 1990. Indeed SAIC had learned much from the experience of the two prototypes and responded to the request with a smaller and more rugged design which is being implemented in the on-going construction. 2 The tragic destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 reminded us all of the vulnerability of our air carriers to acts of sabotage using the awesome destructive power of plastic explosives. Experts say that our present security equipment was not designed to detect plastic bombs and by-andlarge is incapable of its detection with any significant degree of accuracy. Immediately after this tragedy the FAA Administrator announced the Agency's decision to order an additional TNA unit and expedite the delivery of all six units over six months. SAIC agreed to meet this challenge and build, test and deliver all six units beginning in June of 1989 and ending in January of 1990. Mr. Chairman, SAIC is pleased to inform this committee that the construction of these units is well under way and on schedule. The initial unit will be delivered and installed by June of this year at New York's JFK airport. SAIC will deliver the remainder of the six units at a rate of approximately one per month through 1989. On January 9, 1989, in response to the Pan Am tragedy, SAIC presented to the Administrator of the FAA a plan that would commit SAIC to immediately mobilize its technical and financial resources to manufacture large quantities of TNA machines beginning at the onset of calendar year 1990. To be more specific, SAIC proposed to invest in the necessary manpower and facilities to build TNA units at the rate of a minimum of 50 and as many as 100 per year beginning January 1990. SAIC stipulated that, in order to meet such a schedule, there must be an indicated commitment by the Government and/or the Aviation Industry by June of 1989 to enhance airline security to meet the plastic explosive challenge. SAIC cannot commit the substantial resources necessary to build large quantities of TNA systems without adequate assurance of a potential market. 3 Over the last several months, much has been heard about the need to use the TNA technology for explosive detection. Testimony by the FAA and the DOT, who are thoroughly familiar with the performance and capability of these systems, have praised the ability of the TNA as the only reliable method for detection of plastic and other types of explosives. Virtually every organization concerned about secure air travel has testified about the immediate need for implementation of the TNA machines at national and international airports in order to protect U.S. carriers. We have heard discussions of various options for funding including: a two dollar security surcharge; tapping the aviation trust fund; direct appropriation; and a proposed rule-making requiring the airlines to purchase. SAIC does not claim the competence to recommend any one of the above. However, in conclusion I would like to reiterate SAIC's readiness and commitment to mobilize all necessary resources at its disposal to build and install TNA systems in an expeditious manner in response to national policy and need. Once again, I appreciate being afforded the opportunity to present SAIC's viewpoint in light of the security threat against aviation. I would be pleased to respond to any questions you have. < |