International Security Expo 2023 Review

For the second year running, delegates benefited from a keynote address by the UK Minister of State for Security, Tom Tugendhat MP, in which he discussed the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy and the security challenges posed by current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, whilst laying out the British Government’s own security priorities.

International Security Conference and Summits

The ISE event as a whole provided highly informative content of interest to the wider world. That included presentations delivered as part of the Global Counter Terror and Serious and Organised Crime Summit, alongside the International Security Conference and the International Risk and Resilience Conference.

The Counter Terror and Crime Summit included talks by representatives of the police-hosted National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), the Office for Homeland Security, and UK Defence and Security Exports (UKDSE, itself part of the Department for Business and Trade), alongside the likes of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) and Microsoft.

Counter-Threat Demonstrations

Live counter-threat demonstrations during ISE included how a robot is deployed to deal with an improved explosive device (IED) and how resilient physical security products survive LPCB attack testing. The British Transport Police’s Special Response Unit demonstrated equipment capable of detecting and assessing powders, liquids and gases, in addition to the X-ray of suspicious packages.

 

GIT SECURITY’s Personal Review

Upon arriving at Olympia London, visitors saw hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) barriers outside the entrance provided by SafeCrowds and were required to pass their bags through Rapiscan’s Orion 920CX X-ray scanner. Many exhibitors were seen unveiling their latest innovations, sharing new technologies with UK and international buyers. Accordingly, GIT SECURITY’s Top Twelve exhibition stands are highlighted below.

Airports, Security Scanners and Screening Technology

The next-generation screening technology, the Falcon Human Security Scanner, was found at the Apstec Systems stand, headquartered in Stockholm. This advanced system is able to screen people, bags and wheeled luggage for explosives, weapons, pyrotechnics, narcotics and cash, whether hidden on people or in baggage. By streamlining the process of screening large numbers of individuals and their belongings via a single system, the Falcon makes screening operations for difficult-to-secure crowded locations such as mass transport, sports stadia and national borders easier.

Scanna MSC of Regent Street, London () is a British manufacturer of X-ray inspection and detection equipment, specialising in portable and postroom security X-ray solutions. Its ruggedised, waterproof, flat panel X-ray systems work with low-dose X-rays and are ideal for security spot checks in defence, police, transport and customs applications.

Linev Systems UK of Ramsgate, Kent used the ISE event to launch its Clearpass CI partial body scanner. This is described as the perfect solution for prisons and borders, as well as for many other areas where people scanning is needed to check for stuffed or swallowed contraband, featuring rapid image acquisition and scan times.

The company’s ScanMax 225 mailroom security X-ray scanner produces clear, definition-rich, X-ray images of mail, courier and baggage items, to allow operators to quickly and easily distinguish between legitimate and malicious or prohibited items. The units themselves are slimline, making them ideal for even the smallest postroom area. The ScanMax 225 has a simple pushbutton operation which generates a clear X-ray image within just a few seconds.
Next up, the TR-6545 from Todd Research in rural Cambridgeshire is a cost-effective and reliable X-ray inspection system built with a narrow frame and large tunnel dimensions that enable it to screen a wide range of bags and parcels at checkpoints with limited space. With a powerful generator, the TR-6545 provides crisp, high-resolution images.

The AeroSentry Zero for airspace managers from Drone Defence is designed to monitor compliant aircraft and drones. The sensor receives data via ADS-B feed, as well as remote ID, with the sensor being compliant with ASTM F3411-22 standards. Drone detection is effective up to a distance of 3km.

A famous name in aviation and airport security, 30,000 Leidos people and baggage scanners are deployed across 130 countries. Shown at ISE 2023, ProVision2 with automatic target detection quickly screens passengers using safe mm-wave technology to automatically detect concealed objects made of a wide variety of materials, whether metallic or non-metallic.

 

Barriers, Fences, and Shutter Doors

Avon Barrier of Bristol, a member of the Perimeter Protection Group, majored on its EB950CR Armstrong barrier. This is a high-security rising arm barrier that has been PAS 68 impact-rated and offers a high level of protection where central roadway foundations are neither possible nor practical. The drop arm barrier can withstand direct impact forces in excess of 720 KJ and provides shallow-mounted protection to sites from extreme Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack.

Exporting to over 50 countries, Clark Door of Carlisle impressed us with their MultiGard security roller shutter doors, SR3, SR4 and SR5. Design features include thermal insulation, an auto self-locking mechanism, and smooth and quiet operation. The Clark MultiGard has a unique lath design, achieving high wind ratings without the need for additional wind end locks. All models are available up to 8m wide x 10m high.

From Hornsea, East Yorkshire, Heald’s Matador sliding bollard is a patented security system, crash-tested to different IWA standards. During crash testing, not only did the sliding bollard system arrest the test vehicle with a zero penetration rating, it continued to function following the impact without any repairs.

Also from Heald comes the Raptor, a patented retractable security bollard crash tested to both PAS 68 and ASTM standards. Following crash testing, the Raptor achieved a zero-penetration result and operated after impact. Heald’s Raptor combines the high security of a road blocker with the flexibility of a shallow-mount bollard. In testing the Raptor has halted a 7.5-tonne truck travelling at 80 kph / 50 mph.

Among its products, Zaun Fencing of Wolverhampton, demonstrated its Armaweave self-raking woven mesh fencing. ArmaWeave offers an increased level of protection against scaling since it has reduced climbing points. Furthermore, the self-raking feature reduces installation time and costs on site. This is possible by reducing the civil works for additional posts for stepping, no installation of cut or reduced-sized panels, and no pre-measuring of angles.

Intrusion Detection

Meanwhile Optex was launching the latest in LiDAR technology. As an innovator of LiDAR for security, Optex has developed a revolutionary new LiDAR solution, the Redscan Mini-Pro.
This provides extremely accurate LiDAR detection combined with a built-in FHD camera to give the ultimate intrusion solution. Suitable for a wide range of indoor and outdoor high-security applications, the Redscan Mini-Pro can detect threats proactively with pinpoint accuracy, being unaffected by lighting, temperature or weather conditions.

Video Security

Videosoft Global was displaying ultra-low bandwith video encoders, rugged, secure and with high-efficiency video adaptive compression technology.
The Videosoft FireBird F-100, designed for low bandwidth video transmission from 4kbps, can stream a camera’s native output when viewing HD wide-angle cameras for the highest level of detail in frames per second. The F-100 is recommended as the ultimate in compact, deployable surveillance solutions for the police, homeland security, critical national infrastructure, defence and CCTV applications.

Co-located Cyber Expo

Meanwhile, across the same two days in the adjacent Olympia National Hall, visitors could move into the world of cyber security. In just its second year, the co-located International Cyber Expo saw almost 6,500 visitors come through the doors, 35% more than last year. The Global Cyber Summit saw cyber experts providing updates on this critical and rapidly changing area.

The International Security Expo and International Cyber Expo will return to London’s famous Olympia exhibition centre on 24th to 25th September 2024.

 

Author: Oliver Haines