Guidance

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems for aviation security

Approved explosive trace detection (ETD) systems for use in aviation security.

From:: Department for Transport
Published: 19 August 2013
Last updated: 172 ~~March~~December 2025 — See all updates

Documents

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems to detect microscopic particles of explosive materials: open document format

ODS, ~~12.9~~13.7 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email webmasterdft@dft.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems to detect microscopic particles of explosive materials: Excel format

MS Excel Spreadsheet, ~~25.1~~20.9 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

Details

Explosive trace detection systems approved for use in aviation security by the Department for Transport, these are used to detect microscopic particles of explosive material.

Published 19 August 2013

Last updated 172 ~~March~~December 2025 ~~+ show~~ href="#full-history">+ show all updates

2 December 2025
Previous list (published March 2025) updated with latest information.

17 March 2025
Rapiscan itemiser 5X model added.
18 September 2024
List of approved explosive trace detection systems updated.
17 September 2024
List of approved explosive trace detection systems updated.
13 November 2023
1 new configuration from Nuctech. 1 new configuration from Rapiscan. List updated to reflect latest ECAC approvals.
28 October 2022
1 new configuration from Nuctech
31 May 2022
New configuration from Smiths Detection.
11 April 2022
Correction: ETD systems detect microscopic particles of explosive materials rather than minute particles, as previously stated.
16 February 2022
Equipment no longer approved for use in UK removed from the list, as per AvSec policy and previously stated withdrawal dates.
28 September 2021
Updated equipment configurations added by 1st Detect, new equipment configurations from Bruker Optik GmbH and Rapiscan, entry corrections from Bruker Optik GmbH and Smiths Detection.
29 March 2021
1 new equipment configuration added to the list from Smiths Detection.
22 October 2020
L3 Technologies, Inc. has been rebranded as Leidos 2 new equipment configurations from Leidos have been added. Clarification has been given that legacy systems are no longer approved for use.
21 May 2020
New equipment additions for Bruker Optik Gmbh and Bruker Nuctech, revisions of existing configurations for 1st Detect and Rapiscan.
20 December 2019
New equipment configuration added from Nuctech.
16 May 2019
New equipment listing added from 1st Detect, Smith's Detecton, Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Rapiscan, Nuctech plus expiration date for legacy equipment revised.
10 October 2018
Equipment configuration added from Smiths Detection.
22 March 2018
Company renamed to Rapiscan systems, previously Morpho Detection.
16 November 2017
List of explosive trace detection (ETD) systems to detect minute particles of explosive materials updated.
14 August 2017
List of approved explosive trace detection systems for use in aviation security.
25 August 2016
List of approved explosive trace detection systems updated including changing of algorithms for two equipment manufacturers.
4 August 2016
List of approved explosive trace detection systems updated.
18 February 2016
Security screening equipment approved in February 2016 by the European Civil Aviation Conference for explosives trace detection systems.
19 November 2015
Amendments for explosive trace detection systems.
18 November 2015
Updated with new equipment approved by the European Civil Aviation Conference.
30 July 2015
New equipment approved by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) on 28 July 2015.
5 November 2014
Updated with new aviation security equipment recently approved for operation use by DfT and the European Civil Aviation Conference.
19 August 2013
First published.

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems for aviation security

Documents

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems to detect microscopic particles of explosive materials: open document format

Explosive trace detection (ETD) systems to detect microscopic particles of explosive materials: Excel format

Details

Updates to this page

Sign up for emails or print this page

Update history