Bomb Containment and Removal

Aigis Blast Protection Ltd
Peter Shelley

By Peter Shelley, Explosives Technical Specialist, Aigis Blast Protection Ltd

View Author Profile

Close Move

AIGIS Blast Protection Ltd introduce new isolation units for fast and efficient bomb containment and removal

Bomb Threats to Airport

Airport protection from the effects of a bomb explosion is becoming more important due to the increased threat of random terrorist violence. From January 1968 until July 2006, there have been a total of 827 terrorist incidents reported by Airports. This is a rate of approximately 22 per year, of which bombings accounted for 519 incidents where 1,995 were injured and 1,788 people killed.

This means that, at an airport, 63% of the time the terrorist attack has been with an explosive device which has killed or injured, on average, four to five people per attack.

Solution: AIGIS's Isolation Units

Designed in consultation with EOD, IEDD and Airports, and used in major airports worldwide, AIGIS Isolation Units are designed to contain suspect devices and safely remove them from the terminal to a location where it can be investigated further.

Isolation Units enable the airport to act immediately, reducing the need to carry out standard operating procedures such as ICE, Isolate, Cordon and Evacuate, thus enabling the Airport to continue operating rather than face costly, disruptive and dangerous evacuations

Should the suspect device explode inside the Isolation Unit, the AIGIS TABREshield system would mitigate blast and fragmentation to sustainable levels, using its blast absorption and attenuation properties. Isolation Units reduce the lethal effects of an explosion to below the threshold for hearing damage, this being the first organ to suffer from the excess pressure (see graph here against), thus reducing the hazard to people and building structure.

Isolation Unit Pressure GraphRecently, a major U.S. airport was closed for two hours costing an estimated 3.5 million dollars, due to the evacuation of passengers, airport staff and aircrew, time required to deal with the suspect device, missed flights by passengers, out of hours aircrew and their replacement and the diversion of flights and cancellation of others. AIGIS Isolation Units provide a cost effective solution to the explosion threats Airports face daily, where the capital cost can be recovered by saving one stoppage of business.

AIGIS's Isolation Units - the Range

AIGIS produces a range of Isolation Units (IU) each one designed to meet a specific terrorist threat:

  • The IU1000 - for suspect letter or small parcel
  • The IU1200 - for suspect hand baggage
  • The IU2000 - for suspect hold baggage

IU2000

IU2000 Isolation Unit

IU1000

IU1000 Isolation Unit

Benefits of AIGIS Isolation Units:

  • Easy to operate
  • Mobile and easily manoeuvrable
  • Wide doors for easy internal access
  • Flexible orientation of the suspect device within the unit
  • Single locking mechanism for prompt closure
  • No complex parts to go wrong or initiate detonation
  • Constructed with a mild steel exterior for long-lastedness
  • Competitively priced
  • Low maintenance costs
  • Come with a 12 month warranty

IU1200

IU1200 Isolation Unit

√PROTECT PEOPLE  √PROTECT ASSETS  √MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY

Peter Shelley

Author Information - Peter Shelley

Explosives Technical Specialist

Born in 1954, Peter is a Member of the Institute of Explosives Engineers having previously worked for BAE Systems as an Engineering Manager and Explosives Consultant. Starting as radar technician in the Royal Air Force and then trained by Nobel's Explosives, Peter gained an honours degree in engineering and was further trained as an EOD technician. In AIGIS, his role is one of a technical consultant and project manager, giving presentations at international events and assessing customer requirements.

RSS