The nightmare of airports

Copenhagen [Denmark], September 26: Along with cyber attacks, drones have continuously disrupted airport operations since 2017, with the most recent incident occurring in Denmark.
Many places in sight
Denmark's Aalborg Airport was closed for several hours in the early morning of September 25 (Vietnam time) due to the appearance of several drones , according to Reuters citing information from Danish police. According to updated information, drones have also appeared at other Danish airports such as Esbjerg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup air base in the past few days.
The Danish National Police said the drone activity at Aalborg Airport followed a similar pattern to the hours-long disruption at Copenhagen Airport two days earlier. Local police said the drones left the Aalborg area after about three hours. The closure of Aalborg Airport also affects the Danish Armed Forces, which also use the airport as part of a military base. The Danish Armed Forces said they were assisting police in the investigation.
On September 23, Denmark declared the incident at Copenhagen airport the most serious attack on its critical infrastructure in recent years. The Danish government also linked the incident to a string of drone intrusions and recent disruptions across Europe. Norwegian authorities also had to block airspace at Oslo airport for three hours on the evening of September 22 (local time), according to AFP. Meanwhile, in the US, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it received more than 100 reports of drones appearing near airports each month.
In addition to drones, cyber attacks have emerged as a culprit causing disruption to aviation operations in many countries. The first notable cyber attack occurred on May 27, 2017, when British Airways canceled all flights from Heathrow (UK), the busiest airport in Europe, and Gatwick Airport (UK), affecting 75,000 passengers. Most recently, a cyber attack occurred on September 20, targeting the check-in system of the supplier Collins Aerospace, owned by RTX. As a result, many major airports in Europe experienced problems, including Heathrow, Berlin (Germany) and Brussels (Belgium). Of these, Brussels Airport canceled many flights for 3 days.
Widespread risk
Drone or cyber attacks do not target flight safety systems, but instead choke off critical connections like check-in systems, electrical infrastructure, and airport perimeters. These attacks have a ripple effect and disrupt large-scale network operations. Investigators have yet to identify the culprit, but experts say it is likely part of a series of events collectively known as "hybrid threats" that have been on the rise in northern Europe recently. The aim may be to test countries' ability to respond and protect critical infrastructure.
AFP yesterday quoted Danish Defense Minister Peter Hummelgaard as emphasizing that the appearance of drones that forced the country's airports to close for two days a week was a systematic and "hybrid" operation carried out by "professional actors" using multiple types of drones. Mr. Hummelgaard affirmed that the country will increase its ability to detect and neutralize drones in the future.
Eurocontrol, the European air traffic control agency, said it is providing support to local and national air traffic control authorities to deal with drones and cyberattacks. Airports also need to develop specific response plans and upgrade their infrastructure in time, according to Reuters. However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that anti-drone technology is still in development and often outside the upgrade budgets of airports.
Reuters on September 25 quoted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as saying that he had spoken to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about the drone incident that forced the closure of Danish airports, stressing that the situation was considered very serious. "NATO members and Denmark are working together to find ways to ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure," Mr. Rutte wrote on X.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper