United States Security Screening Market Overview,2030

The United States has developed one of the most sophisticated security screening ecosystems in the world, driven by decades of evolving threats and technological leadership in defense and homeland protection. Security screening in the country is defined as the process of detecting weapons, explosives, narcotics, and other prohibited materials using automated imaging and detection technologies across airports, borders, and critical infrastructure. The system took shape after the events of September 11, 2001, when the Transportation Security Administration was established to manage passenger and cargo screening nationwide. Since then, airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta and Los Angeles International have adopted next-generation computed tomography scanners and advanced imaging systems capable of identifying organic materials with precision. The integration of artificial intelligence and biometrics has transformed security management, with the Department of Homeland Security deploying facial recognition systems developed under its Biometric Exit Program in major airports and border checkpoints. Non-intrusive inspection systems using backscatter X-rays and passive radiation sensors are widely used at land ports operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to inspect commercial trucks and cargo containers entering from Mexico and Canada. The use of data analytics has improved decision-making by linking detection equipment to real-time command centers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology sets calibration and safety standards for these devices, ensuring regulatory compliance and operational accuracy. Beyond transportation, security screening plays a vital role in protecting power stations, research laboratories, and military bases by enabling fast and reliable threat detection. Through innovation, policy, and collaboration between agencies, the United States has turned its screening network into a cornerstone of national defense, facilitating both trade and travel while maintaining the highest standards of public safety and technological integrity.

According to the research report, ""United States Security Screening Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the United States Security Screening market is anticipated to grow at more than 6.56% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.The United States security screening market continues to advance through innovation, collaboration, and a growing focus on automation and digital intelligence. The sector’s evolution is shaped by government and private partnerships involving companies such as Smiths Detection, Leidos, Analogic Corporation, Rapiscan Systems, and Astrophysics Inc., which supply most of the scanning equipment used by airports and customs agencies. The Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration have launched modernization programs such as the Checkpoint Property Screening System to introduce artificial intelligence and computed tomography into every major U.S. airport checkpoint. At border stations in Arizona and Texas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates high-energy vehicle scanners from Leidos and Nuctech to inspect cargo while maintaining high traffic efficiency. Defense facilities and energy sites such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Hanford Nuclear Reservation utilize radiation detection instruments from Mirion Technologies and FLIR Systems to monitor for illicit radioactive materials. Commercial adoption has expanded across corporate campuses and venues including Disney Parks and Madison Square Garden, where Evolv Technology’s AI-driven touchless screening systems are now deployed for crowd safety. Maintenance and calibration services are provided through long-term government contracts managed by defense suppliers like General Dynamics Information Technology. The market is also moving toward cloud-based monitoring where AI algorithms support real-time image analysis and threat detection. Research collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is driving the development of quantum sensors and behavioral detection systems for next-generation screening. U.S. airports including Miami International and Seattle-Tacoma have introduced automated security lanes with remote screening and data integration platforms from Siemens and Honeywell to reduce congestion.

In the United States, baggage and cargo screening represents one of the most regulated and technologically advanced components of the national security infrastructure. The Transportation Security Administration requires that all checked and carry-on baggage be screened for explosives or other threats before boarding aircraft, utilizing systems integrated at airports such as Denver International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Miami International. Computed tomography scanners, dual-energy X-ray machines, and explosives trace detection devices identify prohibited or dangerous materials hidden in luggage. Air cargo screening, supported by the Certified Cargo Screening Program, involves freight forwarders and logistics operators who examine shipments before they reach commercial aircraft. Ports like Savannah and Long Beach also use non-intrusive inspection technology to assess containerized cargo for narcotics, weapons, and radiological threats under U.S. Customs and Border Protection oversight. Personnel screening is executed across airports, defense installations, and government buildings, ensuring that individuals do not carry weapons or explosive devices. Travelers at checkpoints pass through metal detectors and advanced imaging systems while credential authentication and behavioral observation programs verify legitimacy. Vehicle screening forms another critical layer in the U.S. system, applied at high-traffic entry points such as San Ysidro in California and Hidalgo in Texas, where under-vehicle scanners, radiation detection portals, and X-ray imaging trucks detect smuggling and contraband. These inspections extend to nuclear plants, military bases, and large event venues where all inbound vehicles are screened for unauthorized or hazardous contents.

Security screening in the United States employs multiple detection technologies that together create a layered defense network across transportation, logistics, and public safety sectors. X-ray imaging remains the foundational technology for examining baggage, mail, and cargo, enabling TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to analyze internal contents without opening containers. Modern dual-view X-ray systems at airports such as Los Angeles International and Orlando International display high-resolution images that differentiate between organic, metallic, and mixed materials. Computed tomography systems have become increasingly prevalent in airport checkpoints, producing three-dimensional volumetric imaging that allows automatic identification of explosives or weapons while enabling passengers to keep laptops and liquids inside bags. Neutron sensing and detection is used in specialized border and cargo inspection environments where neutron activation analysis distinguishes between benign and hazardous substances in large sealed containers, a technique deployed by CBP at maritime ports such as Newark and Houston. Terahertz and millimeter-wave imaging systems are widely applied for personnel screening, particularly in full-body scanners at TSA checkpoints, where non-ionizing electromagnetic waves detect concealed objects without physical contact. Beyond these, other detection technologies enhance national capabilities through explosives trace detection swabs, radiation portal monitors, and chemical analysis sensors. Explosives trace detection systems are routinely used by TSA officers to check surface residues on passenger baggage and parcels, while passive radiation detectors deployed by the Department of Homeland Security at land borders and ports intercept unauthorized radioactive materials. Each of these technologies serves a specific layer of protection, combining imaging, sensing, and chemical analysis to strengthen situational awareness. This multi-technology approach enables U.S. agencies to detect a wide spectrum of threats ranging from improvised explosives to radiological agents without compromising operational efficiency or the movement of legitimate travelers and goods.

The United States security screening market integrates diverse types of equipment designed to detect threats across airports, public venues, border facilities, and defense installations. Walk-through metal detectors are the most visible and widely deployed, used daily at airports, courthouses, and stadiums to locate metallic weapons or contraband. These systems, supplied by companies such as Garrett Metal Detectors and Rapiscan Systems, remain essential to primary screening lines. Hand-held metal detectors supplement these fixed systems, allowing officers to perform targeted searches when alarms are triggered or when scanning individuals in sensitive environments such as schools or federal buildings. Full-body scanners equipped with millimeter-wave technology are now standard at major airports like Dallas Fort Worth and Newark Liberty International, where they enable detection of non-metallic threats including liquids, powders, and plastics concealed under clothing. Explosives trace detection systems form another major equipment class, used to sample baggage, parcels, or vehicle interiors for traces of explosive chemicals. These units operate at TSA checkpoints and postal screening facilities nationwide. Radiation detection equipment, including handheld identifiers and portal monitors, is managed by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and Customs and Border Protection to prevent radioactive materials from entering through land crossings and seaports such as Port Everglades and Long Beach. Portable and mobile screening units provide flexibility for emergency or temporary deployment, including mobile X-ray trucks used at sporting events, national conventions, and temporary border operations. They are also employed during large-scale disaster response or national security events to provide high-throughput screening outside permanent facilities.

In the United States, security screening applications extend across multiple operational environments, protecting transportation hubs, government facilities, and commercial sectors. Mail and parcel screening ensures that letters and packages destined for government offices, corporate headquarters, and high-security locations are free of explosives, chemical agents, or radioactive threats. Facilities such as the U.S. Postal Inspection Service centers and mailrooms within federal complexes rely on X-ray and trace-detection equipment to analyze sealed items before delivery. Baggage scanning dominates aviation security, where TSA officers inspect carry-on and checked bags using computed tomography scanners, explosives detection systems, and chemical trace swabs at more than four hundred airports nationwide. Cargo and vehicle inspection forms another crucial layer, enabling Customs and Border Protection to examine shipping containers, trucks, and private vehicles entering through major ports and land crossings. These inspections use non-intrusive imaging systems, under-vehicle cameras, and radiation detection portals to locate hidden narcotics, firearms, and other contraband. People screening represents one of the most frequent applications in the United States, applied at airport checkpoints, mass transit stations, courthouses, and large event venues, where travelers and attendees pass through metal detectors or body scanners while their belongings undergo X-ray analysis. Explosives and narcotics detection extends beyond transportation hubs into law enforcement operations, where canine units and handheld detectors identify illegal drugs or explosive materials in vehicles, warehouses, and cargo facilities. This application also supports counterterrorism and border enforcement missions coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Securtiy Screening Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Type
• Baggage and Cargo Screening
• Personnel Screening
• Vehicle Screening

By Detection Technology
• X-ray
• Computed Tomography (CT)
• Neutron Sensing and Detection
• Terahertz and Millimeter-wave
• Other Detection Technologies

By Equipment Type
• Walk-through Metal Detectors
• Hand-held Metal Detectors
• Full-body Scanners
• Explosives Trace Detection Systems
• Radiation Detection Equipment
• Portable / Mobile Screening Units

By Application
• Mail and Parcel
• Baggage Scanning
• Cargo and Vehicle Inspection
• People Screening
• Explosives and Narcotics Detection Show more