The characteristics of transportation systems make them especially vulnerable —and therefore attractive—to terrorists. Passenger vehicles and facilities often contain large numbers of people in enclosed spaces. Vehicles moving rapidly—whether in the air, on the surface, or below ground—are in precarious and fragile positions; much damage can be done with the introduction of a relatively small and well-placed force. Certain elements of the transportation infrastructure, such as U.S.-flag carriers and landmark bridges and tunnels, are symbolic to Americans, adding further to their appeal as terrorism targets. Many transportation facilities and structures are strategically important, serving as key nodes in networks and corridors that handle large volumes of people, goods, and services, including military movements. Moreover, transportation systems are international in scope and intertwined with economic and social activities. For instance, a few seaports handle a major share of the goods moved in international trade, and commuter and rapid rail transit services are the circulatory systems of urban environments, critical to the functioning of some of the largest U.S. cities. Hence disruptions to these systems can have potentially far-reaching and long-lasting economic and social effects. To be sure, transportation vehicles and containers can be tempting weapons in and of themselves, as most vehicles are powered by flammable fuels, and some carry bulk shipments of extremely hazardous chemicals. By their very nature, these vehicles are highly mobile, and thus capable of being used to access a range of targets quickly. They are also ubiquitous, moving unnoticed within industrial locations and major population centers and across borders. Their mobility, range, and omnipresence make transportation vehicles a ready means of delivering terrorist weapons, from conventional explosives to unconventional chemical, biological, and radiological agents. And in the case of mail and express package services, the weapons can be carried into nearly every household, business, and government office in the country. In Chapter 2, the characteristics of transportation systems are described, and the features of security systems that take these characteristics into account are reviewed. The kinds of research that will be required to support the development and deployment of such security systems are delineated in Chapter 3. Advice to TSA on strategic research and planning is presented in Chapter 4, and concluding observations are made in Chapter 5. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting