Discourage the possibility of airborne attack with a good detection system: amethodology for planning

Detection of the ground intruder has been a subject of primary emphasis when planning an intrusion detection system. The ground intruder has been viewed as the major threat because the ground intrusion scenario does not require a means of sophisticated transport to gain access to a sensitive site. But a new trend is developing that should sensitize the security planners at sensitive facilities to begin to address the airborne threat as a credible intrusion scenario. Within the western hemisphere during the past 10 years, no less than 10 prison escape attempts have utilized helicopters as an escape transport. A terrorist, in an attack that resulted in the deaths of three Mid-East army personnel, used an ultra-light aircraft to circumvent normal border intrusion detection systems. Another terrorist was killed when explosives detonated prematurely in the gondola of his hot air balloon. Through use of the hot air balloon, the terrorists had succeeded in avoiding detection at the border before his explosives accidently detonated. There is another documented case where an innocent airborne intruder succeeded in landing a helicopter within the controlled boundary of a sensitive facility without detection until the pilot solicited assistance from the facility operations personnel. The short history of airborne intrusions and certain intelligence information indicates that the airborne intrusion scenario may be a trend of the future. The airborne intrusion scenario has many advantages over a ground assault. The airborne platform can be used to transport the intruder over traditional barrier systems that are designed to delay the ground intruder. The early-warning ground intrusion sensors are located on and behind the barriers, and the avoidance of the barriers denies security personnel early-waming information usually required for an optimum response, The airborne intruder also has access to the rooftops of buildings which can be used to strategic advantage. This paper serves as an introduction to the methodology that should be considered when planning for defense against the airborne intrusion.