Hostile vehicle mitigation barriers are not a one-size-fits-all solution and it is always important to deploy appropriate and proportionate HVM. This includes considering the type of HVM, the required HVM configuration and the locations that need to be protected.
A hostile vehicle mitigation risk assessment should be the starting point for making the right choice of HVM barriers. At Crowdguard, our experienced team carry out threat, vulnerability and risk assessments (TVRA), which include a vehicle dynamics assessment (VDA), to provide a full understanding of hostile vehicle mitigation risk. Based on this risk assessment, we can advise you on an appropriate and proportionate mix of HVM systems, including the recommended locations and configuration, taking into account your operational requirements and your budget. We can also advise you on alternative HVM barriers, if, for example, our initial recommendations exceed your budget, ensuring we alert you to any residual risk this may entail.
Hostile vehicle mitigation systems – also known as HVM barriers – are used to protect people and assets from vehicle as a weapon attacks and vehicle incursions.
Using vehicles as a weapon has become an increasingly common terrorist tactic around the world and a wide variety of hostile vehicle mitigation systems have been developed in response to this threat. Alongside HVM bollards and HVM barriers, hostile vehicle mitigation systems can be installed as planters or street furniture to blend in with their environment and provide effective HVM protection to prevent vehicles from inflicting harm.
Specification and deployment of hostile vehicle mitigation should be appropriate to the threat and vulnerability of the specific event or location, and proportionate to the identified risk. It is important to seek advice from professionals in counter terrorism and risk mitigation to ensure a tested and certified HVM solution is correctly specified and installed aligned to your risk, operational requirements and budget.
Take a look at the excellent video below from the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), which shows how HVM protects people and places.
There are many different options for your hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, and often a number of different systems are deployed in a single security installation.
One of the key factors to consider is whether you need temporary HVM, a semi-permanent hostile vehicle mitigation system or permanent HVM protection.
Temporary HVM provides complete flexibility to deploy the right system or mix of systems each time you hold an event. It means that you do not require any storage for your HVM between events and that you can adapt your choices from one event to the next based on your experience of how each hostile vehicle mitigation barrier performed, from both a security and an operational point of view. Temporary HVM systems can be deployed at short notice with no foundations or fixings and are usually surface mounted, causing no damage to the road or paving surface. Some temporary hostile vehicle mitigation systems, can be deployed as semi-permanent protection with additional anchors, while other HVM barriers are designed for rapid deployment, which is ideal for requirements such as Zone Ex stadium security, when road closures may need to be protected by HVM and re-opened multiple times in a short time window.
Semi-permanent HVM can offer fantastic flexibility to enable rapid hostile vehicle mitigation deployment on an as needed basis. At Crowdguard, we often specify The Core from Unafor as the ideal semi-permanent HVM solution. With shallow mount foundations of just 200mm, The Core has permanent sockets that can be covered when not in use, enabling the dormant HVM system to blend in with its surroundings. When required, the hostile vehicle mitigation can be deployed quickly by a single trained technician, with the HVM posts put in place and secured thanks to Unafor’s innovative click and lock system. The foundations are set to National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) standards at 1.2m apart, so HVM installation is always rated, because the posts cannot be installed incorrectly. A range of planters, street furniture, bicycle racks, bollards and branded or unbranded al fresco dining enclosures ensure that this semi-permanent HVM system provides a versatile and attractive option, as well as an effective and rated hostile vehicle mitigation barrier.
Permanent HVM may be the most appropriate choice for locations where there is a constant threat, and therefore a need for hostile vehicle mitigation on a consistent basis. A bespoke specification is needed for permanent installations, aligned to risk, operational requirements and budget. Civils works will also be needed, so permanent HVM involves a longer lead time than temporary hostile vehicle mitigation solutions. However, once it is in place, there are no additional costs or deployment requirements for permanent HVM, other than maintenance and service contracts. Often temporary systems can be deployed as an interim hostile vehicle mitigation measure while a plan for permanent HVM is implemented, and this can also form part of any feasibility study or consultation process before investing in a permanent HVM solution.
Every HVM or perimeter protection selection process should begin with a risk assessment. A threat, vulnerability and risk assessment should include a vehicle dynamics analysis.
You need to consider the practical implications of your security choices. For example, think about whether you need the HVM to be pedestrian permeable. Does it need to be installed and de-rigged within a tight time.
HVM should never be a last-minute scramble to find the extra cash you need for robust security, but should be factored into your cost planning as early as possible.
Trust a specialist
At Crowdguard, we are specialists in providing a turnkey approach to hostile vehicle mitigation. Our expertise and partnerships the leading manufacturers of temporary, semi-permanent and permanent HVM systems means that you can trust us to propose the right hostile vehicle mitigation solution, based on the assessed threat, operational requirements and budgets of each individual location. The ethos behind Crowdguard is to ensure that any overall solution deployed is appropriate, proportionate and fit for purpose.
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