Smaller System Will 'Reveal' Explosives In Checked Luggage

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has placed a $24.8 million order with Reveal Imaging Technologies, Inc. for the company to provide its new CT-80 automated Explosives Detection Systems to airports throughout the US.

"We are eager to support TSA's plans to optimize checked baggage screening at airports around the country," said Michael Ellenbogen, president and CEO of Reveal Imaging Technologies. "The CT-80 can be rolled into an airport and operating in hours without any major changes to airport infrastructure, a multi-million dollar cost savings for most airports."

The procurement contract -- to begin as part of an initial three-year plan, with provisions for "indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity" according to a company press release -- will allow rapid deployment of CT-80 EDS systems, which are billed as the smallest and lightest EDS screening equipment available according to Ellenbogen.

According to the company, the CT-80 uses proven Computed Tomography (CT) technology configured in a new way in order to reduce the size, cost and weight of the system. The dual-energy CT, which scans the entire bag, uses measurements such as density and atomic number to optimize detection, while reducing the number of false alarms.

The system is small enough to be integrated into an airline check-in desk or kiosk, placed at curbside check-in, or in the lobby -- anywhere checked baggage screening is required, according to Reveal.

The CT-80 passed TSA certification testing in December 2004, and has been successfully field-tested in pilot programs at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Newark International in Newark, NJ and Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in Gulfport, MS.

First shipments of the systems will begin this quarter and continue into 2006. The TSA is currently evaluating which airports will receive the systems.

FMI: www.revealimaging.com, www.tsa.gov