Adapting to Aviation Terrorism: The Evolution of Aviation Security Models in Israel and the United States

This article analyzes the 50-year evolution of aviation security in the United States and Israel (1968–2018). Drawing on an original dataset of terrorist incidents, the study examines how security institutions adapted through organizational learning and technological innovation in response to tactical shifts by terrorist groups. It contrasts Israel’s “human-centered” model with the early American “baggage-centered” approach. The methodology integrates quantitative data analysis with qualitative insights derived from in-depth interviews with high-ranking government officials and industry leaders. The findings demonstrate that mutual institutional learning led these distinct paradigms to converge into an Integrated Aviation Security Model within a layered architecture.