Briefly noted

Feds get high marks for aviation security efforts

There is a new poll out from Gallup and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. It is called In the Public We Trust: Renewing the Connection between the Federal Government and the Public (166 KB PDF). Among other questions posed to the American public, the study asked respondents, “How Would You Rate The Job The Federal Government Is Doing Providing Security for Air Travel?” Results: 70% replied Good to Excellent, and 28 percent Fair to Poor.

Newest U.S. missile detection satellite may be failing

There is evidence that the U.S. Air Force’s newest Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite may be failing in orbit. The DSPs detect missile launches, space launches and nuclear detonations by sensing heat from missile and booster plumes against the earth’s background.

QinetIQ North America in $58 million TALON contract

Defense and security services company Qinetiq North America has been awarded $58.5 million in funding to provide additional TALON robots and replacement parts for the U.S. Army and Navy. TALON robots are mainly used to aid soldiers in detecting and disabling roadside bombs.

Measuring effectiveness of emergency response

After 9/11, the question of whether the United States is sufficiently prepared for future natural disasters or terrorist attacks has been hotly debated. From those terrorist attacks to Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, experts have been vocal about what did not go as well as expected and have examined areas where planning and preparedness efforts seemingly fell short. The paper, “The Problem of Measuring Emergency Preparedness: The Need for Assessing Response Reliability as Part of Homeland Security Planning,” can be found at www.rand.org