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Perimeter security glossary - T

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T

Tactics

Specific methods of achieving the aggressor's goals to injure personnel, destroy military assets, or steal military material or information. See Assets.

Tailgating

Entrance of an authorized or unauthorized individual into a secure area through an entry, without the use of an access card, by walking or driving immediately behind an authorized individual who has used a valid access card to gain entry and before the portal has been allowed to close. See Access Control.

Tamped Charge

Explosives that are tamped into the material to be exploded or surrounded with material to focus the blast to increase their effectiveness. Tamped charges produce approximately twice the explosive charge of an untamped charge but with a reduction of burst radius. See Contact Charge, Platter Charge, Shaped Charge.

Tamper Switch

Intrusion detection sensor that monitors an equipment enclosure for a breach.

Tamping Material

Dirt, mud, sand, sandbags, water, or other available materials.

Tangle-Foot Wire

Barbed wire or tape suspended on short metal or wooden pickets outside a perimeter fence to create an obstacle to approach.

Tank

A heavily armored combat vehicle designed to carry a heavy caliber cannon and machine guns on the battlefield which moves on continuous tracks to provide cross-country mobility. See Armored Fighting Vehicles, Armored Personnel Carrier.

Target

An object, background, or reflector at which something is aimed.

Target Analysis

Identifies and appraises specific assets; overall target value is based on the value of the asset to the user and the aggressor.

Target Hardening

Using physical barriers or changes in a location to reduce the opportunity for crime and make completion of a crime more difficult.

Target Of Opportunity

An entity that becomes available by chance.

TASER

A non-lethal rifle used by the police to subdue violent persons. The rifle fires an electrically charged dart that temporarily immobilizes the offender. TASER is an acronym for Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle. See Nonlethal Weapon.

Taut Wire Detector

A sensor in the form of a strong wire strung tautly along the top of a fence or wall. A change in the tension on the wire (caused, for example, by someone climbing the fence) sets off an alarm. See Detectors, Motion Detectors.

Tear Gas

A chemical agent typically in liquid form and released as an aerosol liquid or gas. Upon contact with the target persons, it produces disorientation, nausea, a copious flow of tears and irritation of the eyes, and other disabling effects of temporary duration. When discharged, the gas has a blue-white smoky appearance and a strong, sweet odor. The effects last from 5 to 30 minutes depending upon concentration and exposure. See Gas Neutralizer.

Technical Support Working Group (TSWG)

TSWG is the U.S. national forum that identifies, prioritizes, and coordinates interagency and international research and development (R&D) requirements for combating terrorism. TSWG’s mission is to rapidly develop technologies and equipment to meet the high priority needs of the community combating terrorism and addresses joint international operational requirements through cooperative R&D efforts with major U.S. allies.

BMAG primarily serves as a resource for U.S. Government civilian and military personnel who are working toward solving structural blast mitigation problems using "Commercial-Off-The-Shelf" (COTS) products. Reached at www.tswg.gov. See Blast Mitigation, Blast Mitigation Products, BMAG, COTS.

Technical Support Working Group Focus

Continues to focus its program development efforts to balance investments across the four pillars of combating terrorism

• Antiterrorism: Defense measures taken to reduce vulnerability to terrorist acts
• Counterterrorism: Offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorism
• Intelligence Support: Collection and dissemination of terrorism-related information taken to oppose terrorism throughout the entire threat spectrum; to include terrorist use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials or high-yield explosive devices
• Consequence Management: Preparation for and response to the consequences of a terrorist event

See Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), Technical Support Working Group Subgroups.

Technical Support Working Group Subgroups

The Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) has 10 main subgroups that focus on various aspects of countering terrorism. The TSWG subgroups include:

1. chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear countermeasures
2. explosive detection
3. improvised device defeat
4. infrastructure protection
5. investigative support and forensics
6. physical security technology
7. surveillance, collection, and operations support
8. tactical operations support
9. training technology development
10. VIP protection

See Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), Technical Support Working Group Focus.

Technological Hazard

Incidents that can arise from human activities such as manufacture, transportation, storage, and use of hazardous materials. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that technological emergencies are accidental and that their consequences are unintended.

Technology Transition

The use of technology in military systems to create effective weapons and support systems in the quantity and quality needed by the warfighter to carry out assigned missions at the "best value" as measured by the warfighters.

TEMPEST

The acronym for Transient Electromagnetic Pulse Surveillance Technology and the name of U.S. government program that evaluates and certifies electronic equipment resistant to eavesdropping. Electronic equipment, such as computers, release interference to the surrounding environment. This interference can be observed by placing two video monitors close together. The pictures will behave erratically until the monitors are spaced apart. Computers emit digital pulses (1s and 0s) in two arrangements, radiated emissions and conducted emissions. Radiated emissions occur when components in electrical devices act as antennas. Conducted emissions occur as radiation conducted along cables and wires. Devices exist that can monitor and interpret emissions, and herein lies the security risk.

Temporary Structures

Those structures that are erected with an expected occupancy of 3 years or less. This group of structures typically includes wood frame and rigid wall construction, and such things as Southeast Asia (SEA) Huts, hardback tents, ISO and CONEX containers, pre-engineered buildings, trailers, stress tensioned shelters, Expandable Shelter Containers (ESC), and Aircraft Hangars (ACH).

Terrain-Following Sensor

A microwave sensor consisting of multiple antennas or reflecting devices capable of creating a protection zone over varied terrain. See Microwave Sensor.

Terrorism

The use of, or threatened use of, criminal violence against civilians or civilian infrastructure to achieve political ends through fear and intimidation, rather than direct confrontation. Emergency management is typically concerned with the consequences of terrorist acts directed against large numbers of people (as opposed to political assassination or hijacking, which may also be considered "terrorism") (FEMA definition). The U.S. State Department defines terrorism as "premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience." Terrorism is distinguished from other criminal acts, psychopathic acts, or acts of warring states. See Antiterrorism, Counterterrorism.

Terrorist

An individual that practices or has significant elements that are involved in terrorism. See Terrorism, Terrorist Group.

Terrorist Group

A group that practices or has significant elements that are involved in terrorism. See Terrorism.

Thermal Imaging

Equipment that displays a thermal image of a scene.

Threat

Any indication, circumstance, or event with the potential to cause loss of, or damage to an asset.

Threat Analysis

Identifies and quantifies specific threats to specific targets; overall threat rating is based on the potential effectiveness of an aggressor, and the likelihood that the threat will be carried out.

Threatcon Conditions

Conditions declared by U.S. military forces in response to threats of terrorist acts against U.S. military personnel or facilities. Threatcon conditions include:

• Threatcon Red condition is declared when information indicates that terrorist elements have plans or preparations for imminent attacks against specific persons or facilities in a particular geographical area.
• Threatcon Yellow is a response to a specific threat of terrorism against U.S. military personnel or facilities in a particular geographic area. This threat may be based on information that terrorist elements are actively preparing for operations in a particular area.
• Threatcon White is a response to a non-specific threat against U.S. military personnel or facilities in a general geographic area. This threat may be based on information that terrorist elements in an area have general plans concerning military facilities.

Throughput Rate

The maximum number of people that can enter an area in a given time period.

Tiger Team

A team of experts who assess the security measures by conducting unannounced penetration attempts such as trying to circumvent access controls or bypassing other security protection. See Tiger Team Inspection.

Tiger Team Inspection

Teams that surveyed DOE Weapons Complex sites pursuant to a June 27, 1989, initiative. Tiger Team inspections gather information for the Secretary of Energy to assess environmental, safety, and health problems at the sites. See Tiger Team.

Time-Mechanical Initiator

A timing device used to initiate a bomb's detonator. An alarm clock and pocket watch are common types of time-mechanical initiators. See Bomb, Detonator.

Timers

Used to initiate Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at certain delay settings, from minutes, to hours, to days and even months. Timers can be mechanical (wind-up), electrical (electronic (digital) wristwatches, alarm clocks, or cassette players), or chemical.

TNT (2, 4, 6 Trinitrotoluene)

One of the most widely used military high explosives. TNT is very stable, non-hygroscopic and relatively insensitive to impact, friction, shock and electrostatic energy. TNT is the most widespread type of explosive used in mines and munitions. See Explosives, High Order Explosion.

TNT Equivalent Weight

The weight of TNT (trinitrotoluene) that has an equivalent energetic output to that of a different weight of another explosive compound.

Tornado

A local atmospheric storm, generally of short duration, formed by winds rotating at very high speeds, usually in a counter-clockwise direction. The vortex, up to several hundred yards wide, is visible to the observer as a whirlpool-like column of winds rotating about a hollow cavity or funnel. Winds may reach 300 miles per hour or higher (FEMA definition). See Natural Disaster.

Traffic Control Countermeasures

Method of providing security by restricting the movement of motor vehicles into or within a protected area.

Transitional Structures and Spaces

Structures or spaces within buildings that are used to temporarily (less than 1 year) relocate occupants of another building while that building undergoes renovations, modifications, repairs, or restorations.

Transnational Terrorism

It is difficult to pinpoint an exact or commonly accepted definition of transnational terrorism. However, it can be thought of as terrorist attacks, incidents or other actions perpetrated by a group or organization against the civilian population or government of a nation other than their own, in furtherance of political or social objectives. Governmental responses to transnational terrorism are manifested in forms ranging from apparently taking no retaliatory action whatsoever, to economic sanctions and trade restrictions placed against nations and other entities harboring or supporting transnational terrorist organizations. At times, governmental responses and retaliatory actions have even included overt or covert military action against such nations or transnational terrorist groups. See Cell, Terrorism.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

A new agency created by the Patriot Act of 2001 for the purpose of overseeing technology and security in American airports.

Triage

To select and categorize victims of a disaster for appropriate medical treatment according to the degree of severity of illness or injury as well as for the availability of medical and transport facilities. See Disaster.

Trinitrotoluene (TNT)

The most common military explosive; may be in a composite or composite or noncomposite form; as a standard explosive, it is used to rate other military explosives.

Trip-Flare

Used as warning and protection devices in defensive operations, or around the perimeter of a key point or static installation; it consists of 2 metal spikes or pickets, positioned up to 20 meters apart, a reel of trip-wire fitted to each, a tensioning spring and a metal body containing the flare and the percussion cap igniter; once the safety pin has been removed the flare will ignite is the tripwire is pulled or cut. See Perimeter, Perimeter Defenses.

Trip-Wire Force

A military force, too small in itself to resist successfully, but nonetheless deployed against a potential enemy, e.g. stationed along what, in the case of war would become a military front line, or in a contested area to dissuade enemy from attacking with the knowledge that such attack would trigger a massive counter-attack and/or the intervention of a major power.

Triple-Standard Concertina (TSC) Wire

This type of fence uses three rolls of stacked concertina. One roll will be stacked on top of two rolls that run parallel to each other while resting on the ground, forming a pyramid.

Troop Protection

Portable and permanent barriers such as revetment walls, sandbags, Hesco Bastion barriers, cot protection barriers, etc, designed to protect troops from weapons fire and as a blast mitigation device.  

Tsunami Sea

Waves produced by an undersea earthquake. Such sea waves can reach a height of 80 feet and can devastate coastal cities and low-lying coastal areas (FEMA definition). See Natural Disaster.

Turnstile

A rotating barrier system that allows only one person to pass at a time. Used in conjunction with Electronic Access Control.

T-Wall

Perimeter defense (e.g. of observation posts); prefabricated, T-shaped, cement wall sections (T-blocks) are set up side to side to build a defense wall. See Perimeter, Perimeter Defenses.

Two Degree Rule

Properly constructed barriers or natural barricades eliminate the risk of propagating explosions caused by the low-angle, high-speed fragments and should prevent simultaneous detonation of an explosion. See A1 Revetment, B1 Revetment, Revetment, Metalith.

Two-Part Explosive

A substance composed of two chemicals each of which is not explosive until joined together. See Explosive.

Two-Person Rule

A security strategy that requires two people to be present in or gain access to a secured area to prevent unobserved access by any individual.

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