Home > Resources > Glossary > B

Perimeter security glossary - B

Numeric | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K
L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | WXYZ

B

B-1 Revetment

Physical barriers and walls used by the military to protect human and equipment assets from explosions, shrapnel, and blast waves using dirt or sand filled metal walls. The B-1 revetment is 16' tall. See A-1 Revetment, Corrugated Metal Revetment, Revetment, Passive Barriers.

Ballistics Breach

A breaching method that requires the use of a weapon firing a projectile at the breach point. See Explosive Breach, Mechanical Breach.

Ballistic Missile

Rocket-powered guided delivery instrument for use against ground targets. Due to the fact that that they are difficult to deter, these missiles are the optimal delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction. A large part of its flight is a freefall (or ballistic) trajectory.

Ballistic Protection

Techniques for the protection of personnel (and materiel) against projectiles of all kinds, such as protective blankets for vehicles or a deminer's protective gear (jackets, helmets, trousers etc). Protection from projectiles, often referred to for protection against sniper or small arms ammunition but in demining terms is used for protection against fragmentation and blast. See Body Armor, Kevlar.

Ballistics

The science of the motion of projectiles; the comparison of marks and striations from two different bullets or casings to determine whether they were fired from the same weapon; a branch of applied physics which deals with the motion of projectiles. See Bullet, Casings.

Ballistics Attack

Attack in which small arms (such as pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, and rifles) are fired from a distance and rely on the flight of the projectile to damage the target.

Ballistics Tactic

The aggressor fires various small arms, such as pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, and rifles, from a distance. The aggressor's goals are to injure or kill facility occupants or to damage or destroy assets. See Assets.

Bangalore Torpedo

A dynamite-filled length of pipe detonated by a blasting cap or a fuse. See Blasting Cap, Fuse.

Barbed Tape or Concertina

A coiled tape or coil of wires with wire barbs or blades deployed as an obstacle to human trespass or entry into an area.

Barbed Wire

A double strand of wire with four-point barbs equally spaced along the wire deployed as an obstacle to human trespass or entry into an area.

Barometric Bomb

A bomb triggered by a change in air (barometric) pressure . See Bomb, Car Bomb, Moving Vehicle Bomb.

Barracks

The dedicated living quarters for a group of soldiers.

Barrage Fire

Weapon fire that is designed to attack an area and destroy targets within it, rather than aimed at a specific target.

Barricade

An intervening barrier (natural or artificial) of such type, size, and construction as to limit the effects of low angle high velocity fragments. See Barrier, Bollard, A-1 Revetment, B-1 Revetment, Passive Barriers.

Barrier

Any object used to stop the movement of vehicles. See Anti-Ram Vehicle Barrier.

Barrier Material

Any material such as visqueen, plastic sheeting, foam angles, or even foam sealants that can be used to seal the corners of a steel revetment construction. See A-1 Revetment, B-1 Revetment, Revetments.

Base

The location at which primary logistics functions for an incident are coordinated and administered. There is only one Base per incident (Incident name or other designator will be added to the term Base). The Incident Command Post may be collocated with the Base.

Basic Life Support

An emergency procedure consisting of the recognition of respiratory and/or cardiac arrest and the proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to maintain life until a victim recovers or advanced life support assistance is available.

Bee

A cherry bomb with tacks glued to the outside.

Berm

On a structure, a nearly horizontal area, often built to support or key-in an armor layer. A linear mound or series of mounds of sand and/or gravel.

Beveled Wound

A wound that results when the skin is penetrated at an angle. One margin of the wound is beveled and the other margin overhangs it. A residue track may be visible. Also called tangential gunshot wound.

Billeting

Any building or portion of a building in which 11 or more unaccompanied DoD personnel are routinely housed, including Temporary Lodging Facilities and military family housing permanently converted to unaccompanied housing. Billeting also applies to expeditionary and temporary structures with similar population densities and functions. See DoD Building, DoD Personnel.

Binary Explosive

An explosive prepared by mixing 2 non-explosive materials which when combined form a cap-sensitive explosive. See Explosive.

Biometric

A security identification system which measures a physical feature (such as hand geometry, retinal scanning, fingerprints, facial or vocal feature), translates it into a digital form, and then compares it with the values found in the approved database. See Access Control, Biometric Reader.

Biometric Reader

An electronic device that uses the physical characteristics (hand geometry, eye patterns, fingerprint, voice, etc.) of the enrollee to determine authorization to enter. See Access Control.

Black Gunpowder

An explosive mixture consisting of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. The explosive quality of gunpowder derives from its ability to burn rapidly in the absence of air and that in the process of burning liberates large volumes of gas. Black powder is called a low explosive, i.e., the rate at which the explosive travels is never more than 1200 feet per second. See Explosive, Low Order Explosive.

Black Intelligence

Information obtained through espionage.

Black List

A counterintelligence agency listing of actual or potential hostile collaborators, sympathizers, or other persons viewed as threatening to friendly military forces; in business, a black list is a list of persons to be denied employment or to be punished in some other manner, or a list of vendors or suppliers to be avoided.

Blast

The brief and rapid movement of air, vapor or fluid away from a center of outward pressure, as in an explosion or in the combustion of rocket fuel; the pressure accompanying this movement. This term is commonly used for "explosion," but the two terms may be distinguished. See Blast Effect, Blast Wave, Shock Wave.

Blast Barriers

Barrier used near the bomb or facility and can attenuate blast in their "shadow" to levels acceptable for hardened structures. See Attenuation, Blast, Barrier, Hardened, Revetment.

Blast Containment

Containing an explosive force so the blast wave and fragmentation materials are contained within a border made by barriers, walls, revetments, or other materials or objects. See Blast, Blast Overpressure, Blast Wave, Explosion, Shock Wave.

Blast Curtains

Heavy curtains made of blast resistant materials that could protect the occupants of a room from flying debris. See Barriers, Barricade.

Blast Effect

Destruction of or damage to personnel, vehicles or structures from an explosive force by a weapon designed to explode on contact with or above the ground. The strength of the shock at a given distance from the explosion is a function of the type explosive, and the distance from the point of detonation. Blast effect may be contrasted with the cratering and ground-shock effects of a projectile or charge that goes off beneath the surface. See Blast Wave, Detonation, Explosion, Explosive.

Blast Fragmentation

Explosive charge which creates a large amount of shrapnel.

Blast Impulse

The product of the overpressure from the blast wave of an explosion and the time during which it acts at a given point (that is, the area under the positive phase of the overpressure versus time curve.) See Attenuation, Blast, Blast Overpressure, Blast Wave, Explosion, Shock Wave.

Blast Mitigation

Various physical measures that can be used to lessen the damage of a blast wave on critical assets. These measures include, but are not limited to, blast walls, blast barriers, standoff distance, and structural hardening. See Blast Wave, Blast Mitigation Action Group, Blast Mitigation Products.

Blast Mitigation Action Group (BMAG)

A group tasked with determining whether "Commercial Off The Shelf" (COTS) technologies can be used as blast mitigation products. Current categories include 1: Energy absorbing materials (placed on the blast side of the wall), 2: Strengthening materials and debris catchers (placed on the rear of the wall), 3: Techniques to strengthen the interior of the wall, and 4: Blast barrier walls. See Blast Wave, Blast Mitigation Products, Corrugated Metal Revetment, COTS, TSWG.

Blast Mitigation Products

A group of physical products designed to protect military and civilian personnel from the effects of a nearby explosion. Products that fall into this category include windows, doors, walls, roofs, and barriers and barricades such as revetments. See Blast Mitigation Action Group, COTS, TSWG.

Blast Overpressure

The pressure, exceeding the ambient pressure, manifested in the shock wave of an explosion. See Attenuation, Blast Wave, Shock Wave.

Blast Vulnerability Envelope

The geographical area in which an explosive device will cause damage to assets.

Blast Wave (DOD)

A sharply defined wave of increased pressure rapidly propagated through a surrounding medium from a center of detonation or similar disturbance. A sharp jump in pressure is known as a shock wave and a slow rise is known as a compression wave. Weak pressure waves propagate with the speed of sound and shock waves always travel supersonically, faster than the speed of sound. An explosion produces a blast wave because the explosive event displaces the surrounding air rapidly. Blast waves move air away from the point of detonation at velocities that reach up to 1,100 feet per second and pressure up to 1.5 million pounds per square inch. In an explosion, more damage is done by blast than by any other effect. See Blast, Explosion, Shock Wave.

Blast-Resistant Glazing

Window opening glazing that is resistant to blast effects because of the interrelated function of the frame and glazing material properties frequently dependent upon tempered glass, polycarbonate, or laminated glazing.

Blast-Wall

A generic term which can refer to either thick concrete walls, sandbag walls, earth mounds, metal revetments, and, more rarely, trenches (in this case the surrounding ground is used as a natural barrier). See A-1 Revetment, B-1 Revetment, Revetment, Hesco Bastion.

Blasting Agent

A material or mixture consisting of a fuel and oxidizer used for blasting, but not classified as a high explosive, in which none of the ingredients are classified as an explosive. The finished product is not cap-sensitive. See Explosive.

Blasting Cap

A metallic tube closed at one end, containing a charge of one or more detonating compounds, and designed to initiate detonation. Commonly referred to as detoners, they contain primary explosives. May be either electrically or nonelectrically fired. Blasting caps are extremely sensitive and will explode unless handled carefully. See Detonators.

Block Demolition Charge

Prepackaged, high-explosive charges for general demolition operations, such as cutting, breaching, and cratering; composed of high-explosive TNT, tetrytol, Composition-C series, and ammonium nitrate.

Blockhouse

A small fortified work consisting of one or more rooms fitted with loopholes in its sides to permit defensive fire in various directions.

Bodily Harm

Touching of the person of another against his will with physical force, in an intentional, hostile, and aggressive manner, or a projecting of such force against his person.

Body Armor

Protective gear worn by security, police, and military in order to withstand gunfire, sharp objects such as knives, or shrapnel; usually made of special materials such as Kevlar, Supplex or CoolMax. Also called bulletproof vests. See Bullet Resistant Vest, Kevlar.

Bollard

A bollard is any object that is used to confine traffic within or from a given area. They are vertical members made of wood, steel or concrete which are permanently placed. See Barrier, Anti-Ram Vehicle Barrier, Passive Barriers.

Bomb

A device that explodes with great force fused to denote under specific conditions. See Explosion, Car Bomb, Moving Vehicle Bomb.

Bomb Disposal Unit

A team of experts trained in defusing, rendering harmless, and disposing of unexploded bombs, explosives, and similar dangerous materials or devices. In some departments, the bomb disposal unit is responsible for escorting and coordinating protection for especially hazardous materials such as radioactive products. See Bomb, Explosive.

Bomb Examinations

Crime lab analyses of bombs and bomb debris. Timing mechanisms can often be identified as to type, manufacturer, and model; determinations are sometimes possible as to the time displayed by the mechanism when the explosive detonated and as to the relative length of time the mechanism was functioning prior to the explosion. Examination of nonfunctioning watches, clocks, timers, and other mechanisms can be revealing as to the condition responsible for causing the mechanism to stop or malfunction, and whether the time displayed by a timing mechanism represents a.m. or p.m. See Bomb, Detonation, Detonators.

Bomb Sniffer

A dog trained to detect the presence of bombs; any mechanical, chemical, or electronic device used for the detection of bombs.

Bombing Incident

The detonation or attempted detonation of an explosive or incendiary device for a criminal purpose, or with willful disregard of the risk to the person or property of another. Bombing incidents include those instances of arson committed or attempted by means of an explosive or incendiary device. By general understanding, they do not include hoaxes or threats involving fake bombs. Most penal codes do not systematically separate bomb offenses from other crimes. In criminal proceedings, the offense charged will usually be determined by the criminal purpose, for example, murder, extortion, or arson. See Bomb.

Bombproof

A heavily built shelter, either a separate structure or a room within a battery that can withstand the effects of bombardment.

Booby Trap

A disguised explosive device intended to cause human injury. See Explosive.

Booster

An explosive chemical compound used for priming or intensifying an explosion.

Bootleg Turn

A pursuit driving tactic for rapidly reversing direction of travel. It is executed by a rapid stop with the nose of the vehicle pointed to the right, followed by a backup maneuver with the steering wheel turned full left so that the nose of the vehicle faces in the opposite direction. So called because of its use by bootleggers when attempting to escape pursuit by the police.

Boundary Penetration Sensors

Interior intrusion detection sensors which detect an attempt by individuals to penetrate or enter a building.

Braking Distance

The distance through which brakes are applied to slow a vehicle; the shortest distance in which a particular vehicle can be stopped from a specified speed on a particular surface; the distance from application of brakes to collision. See Anti-Ram Vehicle Barrier.

Breach

A gap blown open in the walls of a fortress by a mine or artillery fire. Also, a break in a system's security that results in admittance of a person or program.

Breach Of Peace

A violation of the public order, such as a riot, an unlawful assembly, or an illegal demonstration. To constitute a breach of the peace, the act must be public in character and such as to actually tend to disturb the public peace and quiet. A private annoyance, however exasperating or reprehensible, is not a breach of the peace.

Breaching charges

Charges used to destroy concrete-slab bridges, bridge beams, bridge piers, bridge abutments, and permanent field fortifications.

Break Alarm

An alarm signal produced by opening or breaking an electrical circuit. This type of alarm is also called an open circuit alarm.

Breech Block

The solid mass of metal behind the bore of a gun. Its principal function is to sustain the shock of the explosion. All small sporting and military arms are breech loaders. The breech block is often finished by hand and, as a consequence, some of the filing marks remain on the face of the block. When a bullet is discharged, the force of the explosion causes a backward reaction of the shell, pressing the base of the shell against the breech block. In the process, the shell picks up indentations that can be used to identify the weapon that fired the bullet. See Bullet.

Breaching Method

There are three breaching methods commonly used by assault forces: explosive, ballistic, and mechanical. See Ballistics Breach, Explosive Breach, Mechanical Breach.

Brisance

The shattering effect of an explosive. The higher the velocity of an explosive, the more brisant it is said to be. See Blast Wave, Shock Wave.

Building Construction Countermeasures

Defensive measures associated directly with building interior and exterior surface features used as defensive measures or with which defensive measures are directly associated.

Building Hardening

Enhanced conventional construction that mitigates threat hazards where standoff distance is limited. Building hardening may also be considered to include the prohibition of certain building materials and construction techniques. See Hardening, Hardened.

Building Separation

The distance between closest points on the exterior walls of adjacent buildings or structures.

Bullet

The projectile expelled from a gun. It is not synonymous with cartridge. Bullets can be of many materials, shapes, weights and constructions such as solid lead, lead with a jacket of harder metal, round-nosed, flat-nosed, hollow-pointed, etc. See Bullet Entrance Wound, Bullet Exit Wound.

Bullet Entrance Wound

In gunshot cases, a neat, round hole made by a bullet entering the body. See Bullet, Bullet Exit Wound.

Bullet Exit Wound

Typically a ragged or torn hole made by a bullet leaving the body and is usually much larger than the size of the bullet. See Bullet, Bullet Entrance Wound.

Bullet Identification

A function performed in the crime laboratory by a firearms examiner who seeks to match bullets with the firearms that fired them. The process of bullet identification is based on the fact that a bullet is slightly larger in diameter than the bore through which the bullet passes. See Bullet.

Bullet-Resistant Glass

Specially designed glass designed to stop the penetration by bullets from medium to high power arms. See Bullet.

Bullet-Resistant Glazing

Glass consisting of two or more plates bonded with plastic interlayers, generally resistive to penetration by bullets from medium to high power arms. See Bullet.

Bullet-Resistant Vest

Protective body vest worn by military and civilian law enforcement personnel to protect them against body piercing rounds. Also called a bulletproof vest. See Kevlar.

Bunker

A fortified structure, but primarily a buried or semi-buried structure, offering a high degree of protection to personnel, defended gun positions, or a defensive position, from enemy attack.

Buried Sensor

A sensor that detects perimeter intrusion. It is activated when hydraulic pressure in a tube buried near the surface changes as a result of an individual or vehicle passing over the protected area. See Perimeter Security.

Burning Grenade

A pyrotechnic grenade which upon ignition releases an opaque cloud of vaporized chemical agent. The release time may last for several minutes while the grenade continues to burn. See Grenade.

Bursting Grenade

A riot-control grenade that releases upon delivery and ignition a relatively small but highly concentrated cloud of chemical agent. The instantaneous release renders the grenade ineffective if it is thrown back. Also called an Expulsion Grenade.

Bush Doctrine

The policy that holds responsible nations which harbor or support terrorist organizations and says that such countries are considered hostile to the United States. From President Bush's speech: "A country that harbors terrorists will either deliver the terrorists or share in their fate. ... People have to choose sides. They are either with the terrorists, or they're with us." See Axis of Evil.

Buttress Lock

A lock that secures a door by wedging a bar between the door and the floor. Some incorporate a moveable steel rod, which fits into metal receiving slots on the door and in the floor. This type of lock is also called a police bolt or police brace.

BWC

The Biological Weapons Convention prohibits developing, producing, and stockpiling bacteriological and toxin weapons. Countries must destroy, or divert to peaceful purposes, (not later than nine months after the entry into force of the convention) all agents, toxins, weapons, equipment, and means of delivery. Signed on April 10, 1972, and entered into force on March 26, 1975. Membership includes 124 states. The Treaty is of unlimited duration. See Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Numeric | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K
L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | WXYZ

For more information about Infrastructure Defense Technologies' perimeter security products and applications, please call us at 773-650-1390, email us at info@themetalith.com, or fill out our contact form.

Metalith Product Info | Exterior Finishes | Benefits | Applications
GSA | NSN | Professional Affiliations | Resources | FAQs | Links
About Us | Site Map | Contact Us | Back to Home

The Metalith
A Division of Infrastructure Defense Technologies
3575 Morreim Drive • Belvidere, Illinois 61008
Phone: 1-800-621-5617• Fax: 1-815-323-1317
Email: info@themetalith.com

Copyright ©2003-2008 Infrastructure Defense Technologies.
All rights reserved.