SAIC unveils next-generation VACIS

SAIC unveils next-generation VACIS    Science Applications International Corp. said it has built a compact, high-penetration gamma-ray machine that can scan up to 150 containers and trailers per hour for smuggled items.
   The San Diego-based company has more than 300 of its cargo inspection systems deployed worldwide. More than half the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) portals belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which uses both mobile and fixed radiographic machines to create an image of objects inside a shipping box.
   SAIC said its latest model, the VACIS 7500, comes in a smaller footprint for use in high-volume ports and intermodal facilities with limited space. Trucks can drive through the detector array at 5 mph. The current fixed VACIS can process up to 120 containers per hour.