**GAO-06-475**                      Published: May 26, 2006. Publicly Released: Jun 13, 2006.                  

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## Highlights

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has authority to approve air carrier requests to deploy less-than-lethal weapons, including electric stun devices, onboard commercial aircraft to thwart an attack. Since the terrorist attacks of 2001, one air carrier received approval to deploy electric stun devices. To address concerns regarding reports of injuries after the use of these devices and to ensure that the impacts of these devices onboard aircraft have been fully evaluated, this report answers the following: (1) What analyses has the federal government conducted to assess the safety and effectiveness of these devices onboard commercial aircraft? (2) What controls does TSA have in place to help ensure uniform and timely review of air carrier requests to deploy these devices onboard commercial aircraft?

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## Topics

Homeland Security

Aircraft safetyAirline securityAviation securityCommercial aviationHomeland securityInternal controlsSecurity policiesTransportation policiesTransportation safetyWeapons