Rapiscan wins U.K. contract for its mobile cargo scanner

The administration’s stimulus package adds some $2.8 billion to DHS budget, of which nearly $1 billion are earmarked for enhancing airport security. The emphasis will be on improving luggage and cargo screening. This should be music to the ears of Torrance, California-based Rapiscan Systems, a supplier of security inspection systems. Other countries are eager to augment their cargo safety procedure at ports of entry, and just the other day the company announced that following a competitive global tender, it has been awarded a contract to provide Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) with several Rapiscan Eagle Mobile high energy X-ray cargo screening systems. The new Rapiscan Eagle Mobile 4500 series units will be deployed to strategic entry ports in the United Kingdom as part of a process of technology modernization and upgrade of HMRC’s older screening systems. The contract also provides for operator training, technical support, and maintenance of the systems.

The Rapiscan Eagle M4500 mobile cargo and vehicle inspection system is mounted on a road-worthy commercial truck platform. The company says the system can be deployed to scan shipping containers and trucks in less than twenty minutes while also being capable of penetrating dense cargo at increased inspection rates without impeding the flow of commerce. The system is part of Rapiscan’s Eagle product line of High Energy X-ray Cargo inspection systems that offers mobile, gantry, portal, and fixed deployment configurations. The products in this line have been installed for use by military, customs, and border protection agencies. In addition to the U.S. government, the Eagle Mobile 4500 has been deployed by governments and organizations in the European Union, including Poland, Hungary, and the EU Border Assistance Missions.

The HMRC order will be built in Rapiscan’s U.K. production facility near Manchester, where, since its opening in April 2007, more than fifty high energy cargo systems have been manufactured and shipped to twelve countries on three continents. he company says that Rapiscan Systems employs more than 150 sales, engineering, and production staff in the United Kingdom. Terry Whittock, managing director of Rapiscan’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region said: “U.K. Customs is a leader in the deployment of advanced cargo screening technologies. We are honored they have placed their confidence in Rapiscan. That we were selected following a tender that included multiple competitors, including the incumbent supplier, further demonstrates that Rapiscan’s cargo inspection systems meet the highest standards for technical performance, reliability and overall value.”