The Hidden Gaps in Your Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Plan (And How to Fix Them Before It's Too Late)

 

Every few months, we get a call that starts the same way: "We need to upgrade our bollards. Can you help?"

When we ask why, the answer usually reveals a uncomfortable truth someone discovered their existing perimeter security wouldn't actually stop a hostile vehicle. Maybe it came up during a security audit. Maybe a new threat assessment changed the risk profile. Sometimes it's just that a facilities director finally read the fine print on their bollard specifications and realized they'd been sold decorative posts instead of crash-rated protection.

We've worked with government facilities, airports, and critical infrastructure across the Middle East long enough to recognize the pattern. The gaps in hostile vehicle mitigation planning are predictable, expensive, and worst of all often invisible until it's too late to fix them easily.

Here are the painful lessons we've learned from real projects, and what you can do about them.

Pain Point #1: Your Bollards Look Secure But Aren't

This is the most dangerous gap we encounter.

A government plaza in the region spent significant budget on impressive-looking bollards—powder-coated steel, professional installation, nice aesthetic integration with the landscaping. They looked every bit the part of a secure facility.

Except they weren't crash-rated. At all.

When a mandatory security review required verification against PAS 68 or IWA 14-1 standards, the facilities team discovered their bollards were essentially decorative. Under actual impact from a 2,500 kg vehicle at even modest speed, they would fail. The entire system had to be replaced.

The brutal reality: Not all bollards are created equal. Many suppliers use terms like "security bollards" or "anti-ram bollards" without providing independent crash test verification. Unless you have documentation proving a bollard has been tested to stop a specific vehicle weight at a specific speed within a defined penetration distance, you have an assumption—not protection.

What this means for you: Demand test reports that reference recognized standards (PAS 68, IWA 14-1, ISO 22343). If a supplier can't produce them immediately, walk away. Your liability exposure isn't worth the cost savings.

Pain Point #2: The Foundation Failure Nobody Sees Coming

We've been on-site when crash-rated bollards failed during installation acceptance tests not because the bollard was wrong, but because the foundation couldn't support it.

Here's what happens: A project team specifies the right bollard system. They verify the crash rating. They get the documentation correct. But site constraints shallow bedrock, underground utilities, poor soil conditions prevent proper foundation depth. Rather than redesign the entire approach, someone makes a field decision to use a modified foundation.

The bollard looks identical above ground. The weakness is three feet below the surface.

The brutal reality: A crash-rated bollard is only as strong as what holds it in place. Foundation requirements aren't suggestions—they're engineering specifications that determine whether the system works or catastrophically fails under impact.

What this means for you: Conduct geotechnical surveys before selecting bollard types. If standard foundations won't work, specify shallow-mount bollards that are engineered for reduced excavation. We've seen too many projects discover utility conflicts during installation, leading to expensive delays or compromised security.

Our shallow-mount static bollards are designed specifically for these constraints, but they must still meet crash performance requirements—which means honest conversations about limitations from day one.

Pain Point #3: The Bypass Route You Didn't Notice

Security professionals hate this one because it's so obvious in hindsight.

A facility installs state-of-the-art automatic bollards at the main vehicle entrance—excellent crash ratings, integrated with access control, proper foundations, everything done right. It's a textbook installation.

Then someone realizes the adjacent pedestrian plaza has decorative bollards that a vehicle could easily push through. Or there's an unprotected service road 50 meters away. Or the emergency exit has removable bollards that aren't crash-rated.

The expensive protection at the front door becomes irrelevant because the perimeter has easier targets.

The brutal reality: Attackers look for the path of least resistance. Hostile vehicle mitigation isn't about protecting a single entry point—it's about eliminating exploitable gaps across the entire perimeter.

What this means for you: Map all potential vehicle approach routes during the threat assessment phase, not after installation. We recommend working with security consultants who understand that automatic bollards at controlled access points must integrate with static protection along the full perimeter. Every gap is a vulnerability.

Pain Point #4: Operational Access vs. Security (The Eternal Compromise)

This is where most HVM plans fall apart in practice.

Security teams want maximum protection. Operations teams need functional access for deliveries, emergency vehicles, maintenance, and VIP movements. Finance teams see the cost of automatic systems and push for cheaper fixed bollards. Facilities teams worry about what happens when the hydraulic system needs repair.

Everyone has legitimate concerns. The compromise often ends up satisfying nobody—and protecting nothing effectively.

We've seen facilities default to removable bollards everywhere because they seem like the flexible solution. But manual removal creates operational friction, bollards stay down longer than intended, and security gaps become routine rather than exceptional.

The brutal reality: There's no universal solution. Different zones require different approaches based on actual risk and operational requirements, not budget compromise.

What this means for you: Zone your facility by threat level and access frequency. High-risk, frequent-access points need automatic bollards—yes, they cost more, but they're the only system that maintains protection while accommodating operational reality. Lower-risk zones can use static bollards. Removable bollards should be limited to areas with rare, supervised access needs.

Stop trying to find one bollard type that works everywhere. It doesn't exist.

Pain Point #5: The Maintenance Problem Nobody Planned For

Automatic bollards are mechanical systems. Mechanical systems require maintenance. This shouldn't be revelatory, yet it's the most commonly overlooked aspect of HVM planning.

A government building installs hydraulic bollards at three access points. Two years later, one unit fails in the raised position during a critical event. The facilities team discovers they don't have a maintenance contract, the original installer is no longer in business, and replacement parts are six months out.

The bollard is removed entirely, creating a permanent security gap.

The brutal reality: HVM infrastructure has a 15-20 year operational lifespan if maintained, or fails in 2-3 years if neglected. The total cost of ownership includes parts, preventive maintenance, and rapid repair capability—not just initial installation.

What this means for you: Before selecting any automatic system, verify parts availability, local service capability, and realistic maintenance intervals. We provide long-term support specifically because we've seen what happens when it's not available. Your emergency response plan should include "what if a critical bollard fails"—because eventually, something will.

Pain Point #6: Treating Bollards as a Standalone Solution

Here's the hardest conversation we have with clients: bollards alone won't solve your vehicle security problem.

They're critical components within a layered approach, but they work alongside perimeter fencing, vehicle gates, CCTV monitoring, access control systems, and trained security personnel. When we see RFPs that ask only for "crash-rated bollards" without addressing the complete system, we know there's a fundamental planning gap.

The brutal reality: Attackers assess total defenses, not individual products. A sophisticated vehicle-ramming plan will probe for the weakest link in your perimeter—which is often not the bollards themselves.

What this means for you: Budget for integrated perimeter security solutions from the start. The conversation should be "how do we protect this facility" not "how do we buy bollards." Sometimes the answer includes road blockers, barriers, gates, and turnstiles—not just one product category.

The Path Forward: What Actually Works

After hundreds of installations across critical infrastructure, airports, government facilities, and commercial sites, here's what we've learned actually prevents these pain points:

Start with honest threat assessment – Not what you hope the threat is, but what it actually could be

Verify everything independently – Test reports, foundation calculations, system integration capabilities

Zone by risk and operational need – Different areas require different solutions

Plan for 20-year lifecycle – Including maintenance, parts, and eventual replacement

Work with suppliers who say "no" – If we can't meet your requirements, we'll tell you. That's more valuable than false promises.

Making Better Decisions Now

The gap between adequate HVM planning and dangerous vulnerabilities often comes down to asking better questions before installation, not after.

We built our business on specification-level support during the planning phase because that's when the expensive mistakes get prevented. A realistic conversation about site constraints, operational requirements, and actual threats costs nothing—but it consistently saves projects from six-figure redesigns.

The threat is real. The solutions exist. The question is whether you discover your gaps during a security audit, or during an actual incident.

---

About Frontier Pitts Middle East

We manufacture security gates, barriers, road blockers, and crash-rated bollards for critical infrastructure across the Middle East. Based in Abu Dhabi, we support government agencies and facility managers with integrated HVM solutions that work in real-world conditions. Visit fpgulf.com to learn more about our complete range of bollard solutions.