The attempted bombing of two cargo aircraft in October 2010 via hidden explosives inside printer cartridges illuminated one thing to the air cargo industry – it is not immune to terrorism. Even though the ultimate target of these bombs were locations in the United States, the dispersed nature of this specific threat, with the initial bombs originating in Yemen and the compromised packages discovered in Saudi Arabia and England, it hammered home the point that terrorism is a global security challenge and one that every country must be prepared to combat.
The sheer amount of regulatory activity since 2010 is evidence as this, with various laws and initiatives launched to keep cargo, passenger planes and supply chains secure. In addition to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) requirement that 100 percent of cargo packages loaded onto passenger aircraft be screened, the agency has also rolled out the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot program in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).