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Think twice before privatizing air traffic control

Our US Air Traffic Control air traffic control system is one of the most critical parts of our infrastructure and undeniably the largest and most complex system in the world. Our system moves millions of passengers, tons of cargo and connects thousands of communities on a daily basis, requiring a level of safety, security and oversight that can only be assured and maintained through governmental oversight. That is why it defies reason why many are still calling for privatization of this system, brushing aside the many serious security concerns that would need to be considered before we could ever even consider such a massive and consequential transformation.

With more than 2.2 million people flying daily in the U.S., security, oversight and reliability have never been more important. Any kind of disruption to the meticulous day-to-day operations involved with air traffic control and its critical national infrastructure will cause an immediate economic and psychological impact. For example, once the NYSE re-opened after 9/11, the market fell 7.1 percent in one day, and by the end of the week it was down 14 percent. An estimated $1.4 trillion in value was lost in those five days. (The Balance, September 12, 2018). While the proposal put forth in Congress would run air traffic control through a not-for-profit entity, it would be responsible for maintaining all aspects of the ATC system including security. The “private sector” has a bottom line and profit is the primary goal. Good security is expensive and is a constant cost. Consistency is key to defense and security, and on the commercial side of aviation, glitches and hacks remain just about the only predictable variable.

Second, modernized technology and privatization are often spoken in the same sentences, but foreign ATC providers are behind the times with the latest innovations. For example, planes leaving UK airports have been on average 19.7 minutes late. Additionally, the NATS (UK’s privatized ATC provider) 2018 annual report, states “our airspace structures have not changed significantly over the past 50 years and will not accommodate the forecast growth in traffic and airport infrastructure…without causing unacceptable air traffic delays to the traveling public.”

Here at home the commercial airlines themselves have experienced near constant IT glitches that jeopardize the safety and security of travelers, private information, and cyber infrastructure. These incidents have risen in the last decade and will only likely continue to increase given that even the most advanced technology companies in the US face constant cyber threats and challenges – as evidenced by the recent data breach of Facebook.

A hard stance on cybersecurity measures stresses consistency and standardization across all fields. Currently, DOJ, DHS, and DOD monitor and mitigate any threat to cybersecurity. If the transfer of power moves out of the hands of the government and into the hands of private entities, who will be held accountable for oversight and monitoring the security measures put in place? Security is typically not the primary goal of the private sector, as it is costly and manpower intensive without any recognizable profit. Typically, security budgets in the private sector fluctuate depending on profits.

Air traffic control is too big to fail, and the debate around privatizing should give rise to the importance of understanding the role that the government plays in security, regulatory, and standardization processes along with the repeated technology glitches and cyber-attacks private aviation entities are facing. With advancing technologies and an increasingly interconnected world, cybersecurity is more important than ever. The government has the authority to set high standards and regulations that must be followed to ensure that cybersecurity measures are impenetrable and can detect and mitigate any attack. Removing this authority from federal control and placing it in the hands of unaccountable private entities would put the security of aviation infrastructure at an even greater risk to hackers, cybercriminals, and foreign governments.

We should not allow the private sector to control the security of our critical ATC system without fully understanding the risks. From a risk versus gain perspective concerning security of the ATC system, the answer is no.

Source: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/01/31/think-twice-before-privatizing-air-traffic-control/2734314002/

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Fern Prompravat

Ms Prompravat is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a concentration in Human Factors. Along with two minors of Computer Science and Business Management. Ms Prompravat began working with Mr. Halinski since 2017, as a liaison for aviation security projects between the United States and countries in South East Asia, specifically Thailand and Vietnam. Ms. Prompravat has made a significant impact in bridging the cultural divides between the SRI Group and their collaborative projects. Currently, Ms Prompravat is responsible for all marketing and GSA administrative aspects for the SRI Group.

Kevin Cahill​

Mr. Cahill is an internationally recognized aviation security consultant and skilled instructor who has provided expertise and assistance to multiple countries, aviation agencies and international organizations throughout the world. He is currently the Director of Aviation Security for SRI Group and is a consultant to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He previously served as the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) liaison responsible for aviation and transportation security issues in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Poland. He was responsible for ensuring compliance with U.S. aviation security regulations and ICAO international aviation security standards and developed risk mitigation plans to counter aviation security vulnerabilities. He also provided technical assistance and response to acts of unlawful interference against aviation and other transportation infrastructures. He successfully negotiated international transport security agreements and helped develop national level transportation security programs, policies and plans to mitigate risk to global aviation.

Mr. Cahill has developed strong partnerships with foreign governments and airport authorities in regions that have direct flights to the U.S., as well as with key U.S. government agencies, to ensure that effective, sustainable security practices and new security technologies are implemented. He led the TSA 2014 Sochi Olympics team which provided aviation security expertise to the U.S. State Department’s interagency security effort for the Olympic Games. As Department for Homeland Security (DHS) Attaché for Poland, he was responsible for ensuring coordination of all DHS activities and policies throughout the Central and Eastern European region. He also served as U.S. delegate to the ICAO Aviation Security Panel and to ICAO Aviation Security Working Groups, helping insure that U.S. aviation policies were included as a key part of the overall global security strategy.

As TSA Representative to the ICAO Universal Security Audit Program (USAP), Mr. Cahill conducted multiple ICAO aviation security audit missions worldwide, successfully leading international civil aviation security audit missions in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. He worked closely with national authorities and aviation security stakeholders to provide assistance to host governments, assisting them in achieving compliance with international standards. He has also facilitated ICAO aviation security auditor certification training programs at several ICAO training centers, resulting in the certification of dozens of ICAO Auditors from countries throughout Africa and Europe. He has also successfully conducted quality control training and ICAO Global Aviation Training programs and is certified as an ICAO Instructor and has been certified as an ICAO AVSEC Auditor.

As Senior International Aviation Security Inspector for TSA in Brussels, Belgium and Frankfurt, Germany, Mr. Cahill conducted multiple quality control oversight missions, including foreign airport assessments and air operator inspections, ensuring compliance with ICAO and TSA requirements. He successfully coordinated the implementation and sustainability of international compliance standards and procedures with U.S. and foreign aircraft operators at airports in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.  He directed operations as on-site aviation security coordinator for the TSA/DHS response to transportation-related terrorist threats during deployments to European locations during the outbreak of the Iraq war in 2003 and during heightened security threats in the UK in 2004 and 2006.

 Mr. Cahill is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran specializing in Security Forces operations who served in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, with NATO Forces in Bosnia and Kosovo and in Operation Enduring Freedom

John Halinski

John Halinski is currently the CEO partner of S&R Investments LLC of Manassas dba SRI Group, a veteran owned small business specializing in global security and technology and risk consulting opportunities. He is also the President and owner of Raloid Corporation a manufacturing facility specializing in sensitive DoD programs in Baltimore Maryland. He also consults for the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.

John Halinski became TSA’s Deputy Administrator in July 2012. As Deputy Administrator, he was responsible for helping TSA grow as a high-performance counterterrorism agency.

Halinski joined TSA in July 2004, serving in the Office of Global Strategies (OGS) before assuming his role as Deputy Administrator.  In this capacity Halinski served as the COO for the 62,000-person TSA.  He has spearheaded an operational and cultural change which has stressed a risk-based approach to security, the professional development of the TSA workforce and increasing stakeholder outreach.    

As Assistant Administrator for OGS from 2008 to 2012, Halinski was responsible for enhancing international transportation security through compliance, outreach and engagement, and capacity development. Key accomplishments included the advancement of measures to prevent and suppress all acts of unlawful interference against civil aviation and acting as the US Representative on Aviation Security for ICAO. As the Europe Area Manager/TSA Representative for OGS, Halinski was also responsible for all TSA operations and administrative activities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Additional accomplishments since joining TSA include serving as the TSA/DHS lead for the 2006 Winter Olympics and acting as the TSA Representative for the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon in 2006. Halinski also served as the chief technical advisor for aviation security for the U.S. State Department negotiations on Open Skies agreements.  He also developed and implemented a successful Africa engagement strategy for TSA, as well as the Safe Skies for Africa program. In addition, Halinski directed the TSA response to international incidents including the international cargo plot of 2010, rebuilding of Haiti’s transportation security infrastructure following the 2010 earthquake, and the December 25, 2009 attempted terrorist bombing and printer bombing attempt.

Previously, Halinski served 25 years in the Marine Corps in a variety of positions. Highlights of this period include several successful tours involving counterterrorism, counter-drugs and counter-proliferation operations.

Halinski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of TSA’s Senior Leadership Development Program and the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. John Halinski is also on the Board of Advisors for Marymount University’s Intelligence Studies Program, The Board of Advisors for Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies and is a Senior Fellow with George Washington University on Homeland Security issues.  John Halinski is also a frequent contributor to the media and has appeared as an expert commentator for NBC, CBS, ABC, Bloomberg and MSNBC as well as being published in various security publications.