The international debate surrounding sky marshal deployment has captivated the world's media. To deploy or not to deploy? Armed or not? A danger to flight safety or a necessary measure to respond to the current threat? Many questions to which Philip Baum sought answers when he headed to Atlantic City to look at the American air marshal training programme and interview the programme's Director, Thomas Quinn, exclusively for Aviation Security International.

On 4 July 2001, Kristen L. Skogrand was a passenger on Lufthansa Flight DLH 449 from Phoenix to Frankfurt. What should have been a pleasant Independence Day flight turned into a nightmare in which he became a victim of air rage. Philip Baum ascertains Skogrand's view as to just how this incident turned violent resulting in a flight diversion, litigation and lifelong perjury.

The Nordic countries have long been renowned for their design capabilities in the fields of fashion, architecture, ceramics and jewellery. Yes, as Philip Baum discovered, even in the security industry the Nordic region is developing some of the most effective, and aesthetic, technologies and some of our industry's most famous names are proud to call it home.

Whist the political situation in which Israel is ensconced is unenviable, the country's reputation for developing solutions to counter the resultant threat certainly is admired. With Israel's flag carrier, El Al, long regarded as the prime target for many terrorist organisations, the airline and the country itself have had to put security first. As a result, the country has been at the forefront of the aviation security technology revolution, developing solutions that respond to a multitude of threats at prices ranging from a few cents to millions of dollars. Philip Baum identifies some of the Israeli solutions that are likely to aid in the global fight against terror in the skies

The hijacking of a Qantas flight en route to Tasmania in May 2003 was a clear demonstration of the fallibility of screening passengers using metal detection technology alone. Since long before 11th September 2001, manufacturers have been attempting to find a solution that is both effective and acceptable to the flying public. Millimetre wave imaging and actual passengers X-ray are just two of the solutions being mastered. Philip Baum investigates just how far along the road we have gone in the attempt to provide adequate passenger screening.

Emirates is synonymous with quality. The airline wins award after award for its inflight service and is widely regarded as one of the world's premier carriers. It is this reputation that has helped it ensure that, despite the war in Iraq having been waged in such close geographic proximity to its home base of Dubai and it serving many of the countries worst affected by SARS, it continues to prosper and flies full...

Some of the most exciting airport development projects of the early 21st Century are taking place in south east Asia. Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok is already winning awards and both Bangkok and Manila are set to open new state-of-the-art terminals in the next few years. But it's not only about appearance as, behind the scenes, airlines, airports authorities and contract security companies are all taking security extremely seriously. Philip Baum travelled to the region to find out more.

Behind the scenes, around the globe, manufacturers are researching new technologies to aid our efforts to combat the threat posed to civil aviation. Philip Baum reviews some of the products currently being developed that may become standard installations at airports and on board aircraft in the future.

From X-ray to biometrics and covert communication to system integration, Germany has been leading the way in the development of technologies that serve to enhance the aviation security community. In the same way that German cars, German photographic equipment and German household appliances have become synonymous with excellence, so too its security manufacturers are ever enhancing their reputation for the supply of quality products. Philip Baum paid some of the key players a visit to report of some of the country's latest offerings.

When Rafi Ron tendered his notice to the Israel Airports Authorities, little did he know how significantly the aviation security industry would change or how timely his decision was to establish New Age. Philip Baum caught up with him in Boston where New Age are acting as consultants to the airport that has been one of the most proactive in security development despite, or perhaps because of, it being the departure point for two of the hijacked airliners a year ago. Ron talks about how Boston's Logan Airport has adapted to the new era and explains his faith in a new style of profiling - behavioural pattern recognition.