- Certification covers pairing with SureScan’s DETECT 1000 CT scanner
- Pangiam is among only two third-party software tools on the APIDS list, according to BigBear.ai
- Certification extends July’s Dutch approval as a reference for ECAC member states
BigBear.ai‘s Pangiam Threat Detection has earned certification from the European Civil Aviation Conference, or ECAC, for automated detection of prohibited items in carry-on bags, giving European aviation regulators a common basis for approving the AI screening tool.
The certification covers the platform when paired with SureScan Corporation’s DETECT 1000 computed tomography, or CT, scanner and places that configuration on ECAC’s approved-systems list, the Virginia-based company said Tuesday. According to BigBear.ai, the platform is one of just two third-party software products on the list, which also includes systems built by makers of screening hardware.
What Does the ECAC Certification Cover?
The ECAC decision confirms the platform meets Standard 1 performance requirements under the ECAC/EU Automated Prohibited Items Detection System, or APIDS, framework. Aviation security authorities across ECAC member states consult the approved list when deciding which equipment to authorize for their airports.
Working from the three-dimensional images a CT scanner produces, Pangiam Threat Detection reviews carry-on bags in near real time and alerts screening officers and supervisors to items that may be prohibited. The company noted that the system has undergone extensive trials, including continuous, enterprise-scale operation at one of Europe’s major airports.
What Did Kevin McAleenan Say About the Certification?
“Screening officers need automation they can rely on, and that reliance has to be earned through independent testing,” said Kevin McAleenan, CEO of BigBear.ai and a 2026 Wash100 Award winner. Before becoming BigBear.ai’s CEO, McAleenan co-founded Pangiam, which the company acquired in March 2024 in an all-stock deal valued at about $70 million. He previously served as acting secretary of homeland security and commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
How Does the Certification Build on the Netherlands Approval?
ECAC’s decision extends the reach of a national approval BigBear.ai received in July from the Netherlands’ National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security following testing by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, or TNO. That approval covered the same SureScan pairing but applied only in the Netherlands. BigBear.ai added that other jurisdictions adhering to ECAC/EU rules can use the new certification as a reference point.
According to McAleenan, the platform has now cleared Dutch and European benchmarks since July, and the company intends to seek further reviews from other certification authorities and equipment makers. The company has also integrated the software with another manufacturer’s scanners. In August 2025, the company finished testing a combined system with Smiths Detection‘s HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX scanners, which then entered trials at several international airports.
Where Does Aviation Screening Fit in BigBear.ai’s Portfolio?
Beyond airport checkpoints, BigBear.ai has applied AI to trade security. In 2025, the company teamed with Narval Holding Corp. to introduce an AI-powered cargo security platform in Panama aimed at tightening supply chain oversight.
The certification follows the Virginia-based company’s third-quarter 2026 results, which showed revenue rising 31 percent year over year to $43.6 million. BigBear.ai also lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast to a range of $150 million to $165 million.
In the U.S., the Transportation Security Administration released its Horizon 25 Strategy in August, which calls for upgrading checkpoints and accelerating technology procurement. The agency also plans to expand the private sector’s role in aviation security through an evolved Screening Partnership Program.
