Use of modeling and simulation to support airport security

Currently as well as in the past, an aggressive program to enhance security at airports throughout the United States has been pursued resulting in numerous advancements in the civil aviation security landscape. For government and industry planners concerned with future security improvements, being able to predict the overall impact of new technologies and/or procedures is an important issue, especially in the deployment of advanced airport security equipment. Recognized as part of the issue is that new security systems must be installed in and function as part of operating airports, which, throughout the entire process, must continue to handle ongoing operational requirements in a competitive and cost efficient manner to the satisfaction and safety of their customers - the airlines and traveling public. One approach to gaining a better understanding of this issue, as well as any new technologies and their impact in an airport's operational environment, is by using modeling and simulation tools. Modeling and simulation has become an effective way to target new technology advancements and operational concepts and to evaluate the behavior of complex systems, offering the opportunity to examine the complexities of the airport environment in a non-intrusive and cost-effective way, while also offering the means to evaluate, assess, and fine-tune equipment selections, configurations, and other operational factors without actually deploying or installing expensive security equipment or reconfiguring secure areas of the airport environment, unnecessarily interrupting passenger and baggage flow through an airport. In the long run, this will result in the implementation of more effective and efficient airport security solutions.