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This airport security assessment was conducted on behalf of [INSERT AIRPORT NAME] by _______________________________________ on MM/DD/YY.
INSTRUCTION: The intent of this airport
security assessment is to establish a baseline
from which to develop security measures with
the intent of preventing the unauthorized use of
aircraft; to protect the health and welfare of
tenants, users and employees at the airport; and,
as a critical asset to the region, to protect the
airport from being degraded.
The following matrix identifies (a) pre-event
preparedness, (b) detection and response during
an event, and (c) post-event recovery, using a
“subjective” scoring system from 0-5. The
scoring is subjective due to the individual biases
and assumptions the person(s) conducting the
assessment may have, for example, “in the
opinion of.” No composite or weighted scores
are applied because it is layered risk-based
security and each link, regardless of strength,
contributes to overall security.
Because this assessment, when completed, may
contain Sensitive Security Information (SSI), the
airport operator must control access in
accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), Parts 15 and 1520.
BACKGROUND: Since September 11, 2001,
there is a greater awareness that terrorists abroad
and in the Homeland wish to do harm to the way
of life in the U.S., and it has become necessary
to increase vigilance and protect the health and
welfare of people, as well as protect critical
assets from being operationally degraded.
Aviation continues to be of significant interest to
terrorists and all aspects should be considered
potential targets, including but not limited to the
use of aircraft as weapons of mass destruction—
irrespective of size; aircraft as means of
conveyance of people, cargo, weapons or
materials; airport facilities and other airport
assets; and, last but not least, passengers,
tenants, users and employees at airports. The
protective measures matrix template that follows
is designed primarily for general aviation, but
may have broader applications, with
modifications, to commercial aviation and other
critical sectors.
Airport security should be layered, risk-based,
intelligence-driven security as well as
prescriptive security that looks at both (a)
potential and probability, and (b) assigns
resources disproportionally to the “unknown”
than it does to the “known.” In open societies,
especially where the public is invited to engage
in a wide range of activities including
commercial activity, degrees of risk will always
be present when balancing security needs
against convenience and the freedom to operate.
Therefore, no program can be 100 percent
secure, and each airport and situation will be
unique, requiring its own assessment and
mitigation processes. It is up to policy makers
and airport management to decide how limited
resources will be allocated in securing the
airport while continuing to operate as a public
facility.