Whiz-bang technology that would keep terrorists from destroying airplanes, promised after the 9/11 attacks, hasn't materialized, the Washington Post reports. The various players blame each other for bureaucratic, legal, and market failures. One security-industry exec calls the Transportation Security Administration "a maze"; TSA officials blame firms for not delivering what they've promised.
Also at issue: general lack of investment in updated security technology. Investigators have found holes to exploit, and newer machines have raised concerns about passenger privacy or longer, congestion-worsening scanning processes. "The snail's pace of deploying new technology is unacceptable," said one lawmaker. "We remain vulnerable because we have not kept up with technological innovation." (More TSA stories.)