New TSA Scanners To Allow Faster Passenger Security Screening At U.S. Airports

New TSA Scanners To Allow Faster Passenger Security Screening At U.S. Airports

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on Friday that it will invest in 938 high-tech scanners to help airports speed up security screening nationwide.

Analogic Corporation has been awarded a $781.2 million contract to supply and maintain them.

“These awards are another important step in enhancing aviation security,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske in a press release.”

“They provide our dedicated frontline officers with one of the best tools available to screen passenger carry-on items and also improves the passenger experience by allowing travelers to keep more items in their carry-on bags during the screening process.”

The futuristic-looking machines use technology similar to the one used in hospitals to study internal organs to screen carry-on bags for weapons and explosives more quickly and thoroughly.

This implies that travelers can leave their laptops, liquids, and other devices in their carry-on luggage before those are screened, speeding up the entire process.

The new X-ray system creates 3-D images of permitted and prohibited items. TSA officials can then “view and rotate the image on three axes to analyze and identify any threat items that may be in a passenger’s baggage.”

JFK airport terminal

This technology is comparable to the one used to scan checked bags but comes in an innovative size that is easier to deploy at checkpoints and boasts an optimized algorithm.

The full-size CT scanners feature screening lanes with divestiture stations, automatic bin return, and high-security bins.

Passengers who use TSA PreCheck can already keep liquids and laptops in their luggage and avoid removing their shoes during the screening process.

The program uses a dedicated security line and is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler Program.

Passengers who have signed up for TSA Precheck should be aware that the TSA has lately cautioned that unruly passengers may lose their privileges.