1 Regiment

‘A’ Company is a four platoon and Headquarters infantry company, located at the Malta International Airport (MIA) with the mission of combining measures, both human and material to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference.

The Malta International Airport’s (MIA) strategic position at the centre of the Mediterranean makes it an ideal hub for airline stopovers when travelling far over long hauls between continents. With a declared average runway capacity of 35 movements per hour, airport security threats are various: bomb threats, hijackings, violent attacks, theft and contraband. Any irregular or suspicious activity may result in innocent people being injured or killed by terrorists or criminals.

At ‘A’ Company, the soldiers are very familiar with all major airport activities, yet they cannot and are not always present everywhere. This is why there is a team approach with the Customs, the Immigration Police, Ministry of the Interior, Airport Security, the Department of Civil Aviation, and with the terminal and airlines’ management.

The 1998 Civil Aviation Security Act’s regulations govern all control access to aircraft and secure areas. Access pass violations are tackled using the principle of reporting, knowing to whom, how and following up the same report. Night activity highlights any unusual activity like unattended baggage, open doors and gates, or malfunctioning area lighting.

‘A’ Company soldiers are responsible for the access control and manning of all the perimeter fence gate access points and those within the terminal (located at the Departures, Transit and Arrivals’ lounges), some of which also have Customs or MIA security representatives on site. The soldiers are responsible for implementing access control regulations, issuing of temporary visitors’ passes, escort duties, aircraft and vehicle screening, aerodrome driving safety, VVIP protection and escorts to valuables.
The airport has three main areas, which are:

• the Landside, which is the terminal’s exterior and outside the perimeter fence, falling under Police responsibility

• the Air Terminal has a shared security responsibility with the MIA management’s terminal security, a very busy and crowded area having its constant hectic pace of activity. Both security teams man and operate a joint security surveillance control room that relays information and communications to its personnel on the ground

• the Airside Operations’ Area (AOA) is anywhere within the perimeter fence, the area where aircraft manoeuvre or park, and it is ‘A’ Company’s largest critical area of responsibility given the aircraft, vehicles, fuel and people that move therein. And since it poses the best access to aircraft.

On the field, problems the soldiers often tackle include foreign objects such as animals (stray cats and dogs), boxes or parts on runways or aprons, unusual baggage, securing doors and gates propped/forced open, holes in the perimeter fence, areas overgrown with trees and shrubs, and problems with locks. Other suspicious activity includes photography in restricted areas or irrational behaviour.

Soldiers from ‘A’ Company ensure that it works if the airport employees respect the access pass system, which is the heart of the airport security programme. All AFM personnel are trained to respond quickly, know the procedures for reporting know whom to report to and how. All know not to touch abandoned packages and not to interfere with other agencies’ operations. Many incidents of a suspicious nature often turn out to be harmless, but it takes one real threat to go unnoticed or reported to cause a tragedy.

‘A’ Company personnel have to daily tackle employee apathy attitudes, being on the watch and alert for anything. The AFM personnel are qualified in the use of side arms and rifles so as to protect the establishment and any personnel inside. The use of radio-communications is a most valuable asset along with the rapid deployment of personnel by using vehicles and regular situation contrasting drills.


	‘A’ Company is a four platoon and Headquarters infantry company, located at the Malta International Airport (MIA) with the mission of combining measures, both human and material to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. The Malta International Airport’s (MIA) strategic position at the centre of the Mediterranean makes it an ideal hub for airline stopovers when travelling far over long hauls between continents. With a declared average runway capacity of 35 movements per hour, airport security threats are various: bomb threats, hijackings, violent attacks, theft and contraband. Any irregular or suspicious activity may result in innocent people being injured or killed by terrorists or criminals. At ‘A’ Company, the soldiers are very familiar with all major airport activities, yet they cannot and are not always present everywhere. This is why there is a team approach with the Customs, the Immigration Police, Ministry of the Interior, Airport Security, the Department of Civil Aviation, and with the terminal and airlines’ management. The 1998 Civil Aviation Security Act’s regulations govern all control access to aircraft and secure areas. Access pass violations are tackled using the principle of reporting, knowing to whom, how and following up the same report. Night activity highlights any unusual activity like unattended baggage, open doors and gates, or malfunctioning area lighting. ‘A’ Company soldiers are responsible for the access control and manning of all the perimeter fence gate access points and those within the terminal (located at the Departures, Transit and Arrivals’ lounges), some of which also have Customs or MIA security representatives on site. The soldiers are responsible for implementing access control regulations, issuing of temporary visitors’ passes, escort duties, aircraft and vehicle screening, aerodrome driving safety, VVIP protection and escorts to valuables. The airport has three main areas, which are: • the Landside, which is the terminal’s exterior and outside the perimeter fence, falling under Police responsibility • the Air Terminal has a shared security responsibility with the MIA management’s terminal security, a very busy and crowded area having its constant hectic pace of activity. Both security teams man and operate a joint security surveillance control room that relays information and communications to its personnel on the ground • the Airside Operations’ Area (AOA) is anywhere within the perimeter fence, the area where aircraft manoeuvre or park, and it is ‘A’ Company’s largest critical area of responsibility given the aircraft, vehicles, fuel and people that move therein. And since it poses the best access to aircraft. On the field, problems the soldiers often tackle include foreign objects such as animals (stray cats and dogs), boxes or parts on runways or aprons, unusual baggage, securing doors and gates propped/forced open, holes in the perimeter fence, areas overgrown with trees and shrubs, and problems with locks. Other suspicious activity includes photography in restricted areas or irrational behaviour. Soldiers from ‘A’ Company ensure that it works if the airport employees respect the access pass system, which is the heart of the airport security programme. All AFM personnel are trained to respond quickly, know the procedures for reporting know whom to report to and how. All know not to touch abandoned packages and not to interfere with other agencies’ operations. Many incidents of a suspicious nature often turn out to be harmless, but it takes one real threat to go unnoticed or reported to cause a tragedy. ‘A’ Company personnel have to daily tackle employee apathy attitudes, being on the watch and alert for anything. The AFM personnel are qualified in the use of side arms and rifles so as to protect the establishment and any personnel inside. The use of radio-communications is a most valuable asset along with the rapid deployment of personnel by using vehicles and regular situation contrasting drills.
1 Regiment, AFM
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