The Gyrocopter that uncovered a big security breach
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A Senate committee has concluded that the Florida postal worker who flew a one-man gyrocopter and landed it on the U.S. Capitol grounds, had exposed security gaps and inadequate coordination among the agencies charged with protecting the Capitol, the White House, and other Washington landmarks.
The conclusion by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is the first official finding regarding the 15 April incident.
Doug Hughes said he flew his gyrocopter from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to Washington, D.C. to draw attention to his campaign against what he regards as the growing role of money in American politics.
According to HomeLand Security News Wire , the committee’s staff report concludes that the Secret Service should have done more to learn of Hughes’s intentions before he launched his flight, rather than concluding he was not a threat – although his inconsistent statements should have been a concern. The Capitol Police, relying on the Secret Service’s investigation, chose not to investigate Hughes independently.
The committee found that the state of protective measures also left a lot to be desired, as “technological limitations” with current radar technology allowed Hughes to fly unnoticed by authorities “due to the speed, size, and altitude of his gyrocopter.”
The committee report recommends several steps to improve security and prevent another breach which, next time, may be carried out by an individual who wants to inflict real damage rather than merely engage in a political protest. The report calls on the Secret Service, the Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, and other intelligence and law enforcement agencies to “improve communication, coordination, and information-sharing processes between and within agencies,” including determining a “lead entity” for investigating possible restricted airspace breaches.
The committee strongly recommends seeking new “technological solutions” to spot similar flights, suggesting that Congress should consider increasing penalties for those who breach the restricted airspace.
