LA Times:TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanners
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,213
LA Times:TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanners
Hugo Martin has the scoop:
Los Angeles Times:
TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanner
January 17, 2013, 5:47 p.m
A short quote:
The Transportation Security Administration has ended a contract with the Hawthorne-based manufacturer of a controversial full-body scanner used to screen passengers.
Rapiscan, a unit of OSI Systems Inc., manufactured about half of the full-body scanners used by the TSA to screen passengers for hidden weapons at airports across the country.
But TSA officials said the agency has canceled its contract with the company because it had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers.
Los Angeles Times:
TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanner
January 17, 2013, 5:47 p.m
A short quote:
The Transportation Security Administration has ended a contract with the Hawthorne-based manufacturer of a controversial full-body scanner used to screen passengers.
Rapiscan, a unit of OSI Systems Inc., manufactured about half of the full-body scanners used by the TSA to screen passengers for hidden weapons at airports across the country.
But TSA officials said the agency has canceled its contract with the company because it had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Hugo Martin has the scoop:
Los Angeles Times:
TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanner
January 17, 2013, 5:47 p.m
A short quote:
The Transportation Security Administration has ended a contract with the Hawthorne-based manufacturer of a controversial full-body scanner used to screen passengers.
Rapiscan, a unit of OSI Systems Inc., manufactured about half of the full-body scanners used by the TSA to screen passengers for hidden weapons at airports across the country.
But TSA officials said the agency has canceled its contract with the company because it had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers.
Los Angeles Times:
TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanner
January 17, 2013, 5:47 p.m
A short quote:
The Transportation Security Administration has ended a contract with the Hawthorne-based manufacturer of a controversial full-body scanner used to screen passengers.
Rapiscan, a unit of OSI Systems Inc., manufactured about half of the full-body scanners used by the TSA to screen passengers for hidden weapons at airports across the country.
But TSA officials said the agency has canceled its contract with the company because it had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers.
#3
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,704
But TSA officials said the agency has canceled its contract with the company because it had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
Do you think he was................. lying?
The Rapiscan scanners have also be criticized by privacy advocates and some health officials, who question whether the machines expose passengers to too much radiation.
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 516
Not all the news is good:
And there's worse news for someone, either federal employees or people who visit federal buildings:
The agency will replace the Rapiscan machines with 60 units manufactured by L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL), the agencys other body-scanner supplier.
OSI Systems is pleased to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with the TSA that will involve moving the machines to other government agencies, Chief Executive Officer Deepak Chopra said in a statement.
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,704
And there's worse news for someone, either federal employees or people who visit federal buildings:
OSI Systems is pleased to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with the TSA that will involve moving the machines to other government agencies, Chief Executive Officer Deepak Chopra said in a statement.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,704
It's only the x-ray ones being removed from airports; as OldGoat said, they'll be replaced by MMW scanners. Which is a tiny step in the right direction, but not as good as removing all body scanners completely.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,295
Right, FLL, PHX, AZA, HNL, KOA, SEA, JFK will have MMW, am I correct? I think they will phasing out the BKSX. I am being too tired of them about TSA who trying to putting those passengers into the scanner. It's unacceptable!
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
I suspect it's (literally) going to take an act of Congress if we ever want to see NoS out of airports for good.
#11
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,425
You folks who posted excerpts from the article missed the most important takeaways, although you did allude to it:
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
Perhaps they'll give those machines to federal prisons. That's where they should have been deployed, not on the innocent public.
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
Perhaps they'll give those machines to federal prisons. That's where they should have been deployed, not on the innocent public.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
You folks who posted excerpts from the article missed the most important takeaways, although you did allude to it:
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
Perhaps they'll give those machines to federal prisons. That's where they should have been deployed, not on the innocent public.
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
Perhaps they'll give those machines to federal prisons. That's where they should have been deployed, not on the innocent public.
It is a good thing they did not save any of the images.
Wait......You don't think they lied about that, too, do you?
Nah.
#14
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,330
If they were ordered to secretly save thousands of NoS images at a secure government data vault in North Dakota, some rocket surgeon would inevitably hit the Deliver key to send them on their way. You know, the one marked DEL, right next to Home and Insert.
#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
You folks who posted excerpts from the article missed the most important takeaways, although you did allude to it:
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
The Rapiscan scanner uses low-level X-rays to create what looks like a naked image of screened passengers to target weapons hidden under the clothes.
....
TSA gave Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image.
TSA and their blogger Bob said *wasn't* a naked image. Guess TSA has been lying all along. Now those machines are gone, they can admit the truth. Wonder what else they're lying about.
In short ... TSA still has plausible deniability on that issue.