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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 $4.4 billion over 10 years. Under the contracts, the companies will perform work that will demonstrate NextGen procedures in real time on a large scale within the current air traffic system.
“NextGen is an economic opportunity that will [...]
Boeing Delivers Security Capabilities to US CBP for the Northern Border Project
Boeing has finished installing 10 remote video surveillance systems in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Sector, completing the company’s work on all available sites in the Northern Border Project. The systems, delivered to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will enhance border surveillance capabilities along 37 miles of the St. Clair River — the border [...]
Northrop Grumman: 5.5 M$ 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 [...]
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 [...]
US Cyber Command Is Operational
U.S. Cyber Command, a subordinate unit of U.S. Strategic Command, is in its initial operating capability. The command is expected to be fully operational by October, according to Air Force Lt. Col. Rene White.
Army Gen. Keith Alexander, recently confirmed to lead the command, now officially steps into those shoes after receiving his fourth star Friday in a [...]
Inter-agency Maritime Operations Center at Port Canaveral
The port has potential high-profile terrorism targets
Under construction for a month, the $1.5 million Inter-agency Maritime Operations Center at Port Canaveral, which will house the port’s growing police department, is scheduled for completion in November.
Foundation and drainage work is being done on the 3.3-acre site on the port’s north side.
“The concept is straightforward, putting public [...]
Obama names John Pistole Transportation Security Acency (TSA) chief
US President Barack Obama nominated FBI counter-terrorism expert John Pistole to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which oversees airport security measures.
Pistole represents Obama’s third attempt to fill the crucial post, after two previous nominees withdrew during the Senate confirmation process, and his nomination comes as new controversy swirls around US airport screening.
The deputy director [...]
TSA’s job is to scan only for explosives, not weapons
Guns found in US professor’s luggage by Egypt customs
Police in Egypt have arrested an Egyptian-American academic discovered to have several weapons in his luggage as he arrived on a flight from the New York’s JFK airport.
Officials said they saw the man, named as Mohammed Ibrahim Marei, a professor of botany, “behaving nervously” as he waited [...]
DRS Defense Technical Services: 100 M$ for U.S. Customs and Border Protection License Plate Readers.
DRS Technical Services Inc., a DRS Defense Solutions company, announced today that its Maritime & Security Solutions business unit was awarded a fixed price, indefinite- delivery indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $100 million to enhance and expand the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency’s license plate reader (LPR) program.
DRS will work closely with Customs [...]
NY plans 24M$ for new Security Programs
The Police Department has been planning a high-tech security network for Midtown Manhattan involving surveillance cameras, license plate readers and chemical sensors, although it was not clear whether it could have prevented the attempted car bombing in Times Square on Saturday night.
The network, patterned after one under development in Lower Manhattan, would eventually use public [...]
US DHS Critical Infrastructure: Chemical Security Update
The chemical security laws and regulations (click to download) information has been updated to reflect compliance activities related to the paperwork reduction act for the Chemical-Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). In particular, the Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) has provided a link to a notice soliciting comments for 30 days of an information collection request that will enable [...]
Cuban Aliens Rescued from Monito Island
Federal authorities rescued a group of approximately twelve Cubans left by migrant smugglers on the inhospitable Monito Island. The migrants were allegedly smuggled into Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic aboard an unidentified boat.
A Park Ranger from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources called the Ramey Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol [...]
DHS: Improved Standards to Protect Federal Facilities
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced two enhancements to federal facility security—initiatives that further strengthen the Department’s ability to protect thousands of government buildings across the United States one week prior to the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.
The DHS-led Interagency Security Committee (ISC) released new standards establishing baseline physical security [...]
Joint Maritime Enforcement Efforts Stops Smuggling Attempt
U.S. Border Patrol agents, with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine and U.S. Coast Guard assets, stopped a maritime human smuggling attempt at a North County beach resulting in 20 arrests.
A panga boat carrying 18 undocumented aliens and two smugglers was stopped off the coast of Southern California.
At about [...]
FEMA: Appointment of Andrew Velasquez III as Regional Administrator for Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today applauded President Obama’s appointment of Andrew Velasquez III as FEMA Regional Administrator for Region V, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
“Regional Administrators are crucial to our ability to respond effectively to emergencies based on the needs of the communities we serve,” said Fugate. [...]
Secretary Michael Chertoff, BAE Systems and the Whole-Body Scanners affair: $3 billion over the next eight years
Secretary Michael Chertoff Joins BAE Systems, Inc. Board of Directors
The Honorable Michael Chertoff has joined the BAE Systems, Inc. Board of Directors. As a member of the Board, Secretary Chertoff will provide oversight and strategic counsel, further ensuring that BAE Systems, Inc. is well positioned to meet current and future customer requirements in the defense [...]
FEMA: Appointment Of Robin Finegan As Regional Administrator for Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today applauded President Obama’s appointment of Robin Finegan as FEMA Regional Administrator for Region VIII, which encompasses Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
“Regional Administrators are crucial to our ability to respond effectively to emergencies based on the needs of the communities we serve,” said [...]
CG Rescues, Repatriates 119 Haitians
The Boston-based Coast Guard Cutter Seneca repatriated 119 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien, Haiti Friday, after they were interdicted at sea.
While on a routine patrol, Coast Guard Cutters Tornado and Key Biscayne crewmembers located a grossly overloaded 65-foot Haitian sail freighter northeast of Matanzas, Cuba.
The crew of two Coast Guard cutters arrived on scene and [...]
EADS NA and Infoterra: 85M$ contract to supply radar satellite data for intelligence, military and homeland security
EADS North America has received a five-year contract to provide commercial radar satellite data to the U.S. government’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for use in intelligence, military and homeland security applications.
The data will be provided by the geo-information service provider, Infoterra GmbH, an EADS Astrium subsidiary that holds the commercial exploitation rights for the German [...]