Border Patrol agents assigned to the Miami Sector have two new sets of high-tech eyes to help them keep a closer watch on the border.
The Miami Border Patrol Sector recently took delivery of two Mobile Remote Video Surveillance Systems (MRVSS). The systems consist of a sophisticated camera array attached to a hydraulic mast mounted in [...]
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Miami Border Patrol Receives Mobile Remote Video Surveillance Systems
DHS, vendors unveil open source intrusion detection engine
The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF), a group funded by the U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and several security vendors, this week released an open source engine built to detect and prevent network intrusions.
The somewhat oddly named Suricata 1.0 engine is touted as a replacement for the 12-year-old Snort open source technology that over [...]
Smuggling Attempt Thwarted on Calif. Coast
A collaborative effort between the Border Patrol and the Oceanside Harbor, Calif., police department prevented a maritime smuggling attempt early Friday morning as 22 foreign nationals who illegally entered the country at sea were arrested on the shore at Camp Pendleton.
At about 3:30 a.m., Border Patrol agents on patrol along the coastline spotted a panga [...]
Border Drones Plagued by Mishaps, Pilot Shortage
Despite high-profile support for flying unmanned aircraft along the U.S. border with Mexico, the camera-equipped drones are far from a technological magic bullet for fighting illegal immigration. Testimony presented to the House Homeland Security Committee highlights a number of problems facing Customs and Border Patrol’s drone fleet, including a high accident rate and a pilot [...]
FAA Pressed To Allow Drone Flights in non Segregated Air Space
Unmanned aircraft have proved their usefulness and reliability in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now the pressure’s on to allow them in the skies over the United States.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has [...]
Border Patrol at 19,000 Feet Along Texas Border
A Predator UAV climbed into the early morning Arizona sky June 1 and headed east to conduct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s first surveillance flight along the U.S.-Mexican border in Texas.
Cruising at 19,000 feet, the Predator B’s camera fed a stream of video images to operators back at Libby Army Airfield in Sierra Vista, [...]
Pentagon: high-tech intelligence tools more than big guns and heavy armor
Boeing has agreed to acquire Argon ST for USD775 million in a deal value that exceeds previous estimates for the C4ISR specialist, reflecting strong rival bidding from Boeing’s peers. This acquisition reflect a shift by defense contractors seeking to accommodate a Pentagon that now wants high-tech intelligence tools as much or more than big guns [...]
In Europe, U.S. Allies Target Defense Budgets
European governments’ budget-slashing efforts are expected to cut deep into the Continent’s defense spending, widening the gulf between U.S. and European military capabilities.
Governments in France, Germany, Spain and Italy, in rolling out recent austerity measures in response to Europe’s sovereign debt crisis, have promised that their militaries won’t be spared in coming spending cuts. Last [...]
U.S. Signs 2nd-Stage U.S.-EU Aviation Agreement
Cynthia Stroum, the US Ambassador to Luxembourg and Susan Kurland, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, along with representatives of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member nations, today formally signed an aviation agreement that continues the expansion of air services set in place by the 2007 U.S.-EU [...]
New Marine One (Boeing 101) will be too late for Obama
Since President Dwight Eisenhower started using them in the mid-1950s, helicopters have become a routine part of presidential life and the sight of the large green-and-white craft lifting off from the South Lawn of the White House a regular occurrence. Piloted by Marines, the chopper bearing the president goes by the call sign Marine One.
The [...]
US to deploy drones to shore up border with Mexico
The United States plans to deploy two drone aircraft along the Texas-Mexico border as part of a new effort to stem organized crime and illegal immigration.
The two Predator drones will be used to patrol the border and in nearby areas in the Gulf of Mexico, once Congress approves the 500 million dollars President Barack Obama [...]
Danish pullout hits NATO AGS
Concern about ”RIPPLE EFFECT”
“There could be a ripple effect in the current financial climate with budgets being cut,” one alliance source said.
The NATO sources said the system had broad possible uses, including in countering attacks by improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan and in counter piracy operations off Somalia.
“The value of the project is such that [...]
Proposal to Supply NATO’s Ground Surveillance System Delivered
Towards supplying NATO’s premier and long-standing contract for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system, Northrop Grumman has submitted a formal proposal. The award is expected sometime in October 2010. Northrop already supplies NATO AGS at its facility in Melbourne, Florida. EADS, General Dynamics Canada, Kongsberg and Selex Galileo are part of an industrial team [...]
Boeing, General Dynamics and ITT: $4.4 Bn for NextGen Engineering Contracts
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded three separate Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) contracts totaling up to $4.4 billion over 10 years. Under the contracts, the companies will perform work that will demonstrate NextGen procedures in real time on a large scale within the current air traffic system.
“NextGen is an economic opportunity that will [...]
Major cyber security conference in Estonia
Experts from around the world stressed the importance of enhancing cyber security.TALLINN – Security experts from around the world have gathered in Tallinn for the third international high-level conference on cyber security that called attention to the need for countries to invest more in protecting their internet space.
The conference, organized by the NATO-accredited Cooperative Cyber [...]
Presidential Helo Competition Complicated
see also:
June, 15 Boeing & AgustaWestland Agreement
June, 7 Presidential Helicopter Neverending Story
May, 5 AgustaWestland Will Bid on New Marine One
April 19, Sikorsky, Lockheed team to bid for US presidential helicopter
The myriad industrial relationships broken and reforged for the newly relaunched U.S. presidential helicopter competition seem to represent a larger trend in defense manufacturing. It’s not the world [...]
UK MoD: $53 M to ITT for Night Vision Goggles
Technology enables huge improvements to the infantryman’s capability: read also Colonel Alec Bain’s article for RUSI here
ITT Corporation has received a $53 million order from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) for head-mounted night vision systems (HMNVS) that provide ground-based soldiers with superior performance during nighttime operations. To date, this is ITT’s largest order [...]
Interoperability is the Key to Success in Missile Defense
Terma and Lockheed Martin have jointly developed a Ballistic Missile Defense C4I system called BMD-Flex. The system is based on Terma’s T-Core C4I framework, fielded in several European Army, Navy, and Air Force systems. Lockheed Martin provides modular Command and Control (C2) products for decision support and battle management as well as system-of-systems expertise to [...]
ThalesRaytheonSystems to Modernize US Army AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel Radars
ThalesRaytheonSystems has been awarded a $21.8 million contract by the U.S. Army to upgrade multiple AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel air defense radar systems. This award is an option to the existing upgrade contract originally awarded in June 2007.
The contract will upgrade the U.S. Army Sentinel radar transmitters, receivers and exciters and increase functional capabilities such as faster [...]
IT MOD launch Army Digitalization
Funding for Forza NEC (Network Enabled Capability), the Italian Army’s digitization programme, has recently been confirmed by Undersecretary for Defence, Guido Crosetto: Forza NEC is a spiral project, envisaging the realisation of three digitalised medium-sized brigades by 2015, which will be consistent with the plan to deliver and integrate Land Forces by 2025.
The aim of [...]
NATO AGS – Northrop Grumman Submits Proposal
Transatlantic cooperation is NATO’s top acquisition program of record
Northrop Grumman Corporation formally submitted to NAGSMA its proposal or the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system – NATO’s top and long-running acquisition program. A contract award is anticipated in October 2010.
“This program has been a model of the value of transatlantic cooperation to meet the security [...]
Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier: $140 M to DRS for Thermal Sights
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US PEO Soldier Initiative
Program Executive Officer (PEO) Soldier
Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI)
DRS Receives $140 M for Thermal Sights
About the Technology
Terry Murphy quote
1. US PEO Soldier Initiative
PEO Soldier’s vision is to be the center of excellence for delivering Soldier warfighting capability to dominate the battlefield across the full spectrum of war. PEO Soldier remains focused directly and [...]
Naval Surface Warfare Center: Seaport-e Task Order to SAIC
Company to Provide Systems Engineering and Training Analysis Support Services to Center for Surface Combat Systems
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced it has been awarded a follow-on Seaport-e task order by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren Division to provide systems engineering and training analysis services to the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS). The [...]
DRS and Boeing to Sign Teaming Agreement for NewGen Tanker
DRS announced the teaming agreement for the NewGen Tanker program with The Boeing Company.
DRS will collaborate with Boeing on the console design and then manufacture the Aerial Refueling Operator Station, also known as AROS contingent upon Boeing receiving the contract from the United States Air Force. In addition, DRS will provide the interconnect design and [...]
Boeing Delivers Security Capabilities to US CBP for the Northern Border Project
Boeing has finished installing 10 remote video surveillance systems in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Sector, completing the company’s work on all available sites in the Northern Border Project. The systems, delivered to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will enhance border surveillance capabilities along 37 miles of the St. Clair River — the border [...]
Northrop Grumman: 5.5 M$ from FEMA
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract to design, develop, conduct, evaluate and provide operational support for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional preparedness exercises.
The 20-month, $5.5 million task order stems from the larger National Exercise Program indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract. Under the terms of the task order, Northrop [...]
Boeing, General Dynamics and ITT: Up To $4.4 Bn for NextGen Engineering Contracts
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today awarded three separate Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) contracts totaling up to $4.4 billion over 10 years. Under the contracts, the companies will perform work that will demonstrate NextGen procedures in real time on a large scale within the current air traffic system.
“NextGen is an economic opportunity that [...]
BAE TSS: 95 M$ for security systems to control access to Army bases
BAE Systems has received a U.S. Army contract worth up to $95 million to install and maintain automated security systems to control access to Army bases and other installations. This award expands the company’s work in supporting physical security at government sites.
The automated installation entry systems use software and hardware to verify information on individuals [...]
Papp Takes Helm of Coast Guard
The Coast Guard’s quintessential ship captain, Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., took charge of the service Tuesday.
The Coast Guard has been going through a transformational period, under the header of “modernization.” Everything from how the leadership is organized to how the missions are supported will be different.
It’s an effort to prepare for future challenges, including [...]
US CBP and China Sign MOU to Enhance Supply Chain Security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on Supply Chain Security and Facilitation. The CBP-China Customs Memorandum of Understanding will serve as a key component of a cooperative security and trade relationship between the two nation’s [...]