Border Protector Michael J. Fisher - KMI Media Group
Border Protector Michael J. Fisher - KMI Media Group
Border Protector Michael J. Fisher - KMI Media Group
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SPECIAL SECTION<br />
In the aftermath<br />
of the 2001 terror attacks,<br />
United States Customs and <strong>Border</strong> Protection<br />
developed a program called the Secure <strong>Border</strong><br />
Initiative, a multifaceted, multi-billion-dollar<br />
program that ranged from policy and low-tech fencing<br />
to high-tech surveillance systems and command, control,<br />
communications and intelligence technologies<br />
under a sub-program called SBInet.<br />
SBInet was to build an integrated persistent surveillance<br />
system for the Southwest border from the<br />
ground up. Two increments of SBInet were implemented<br />
on the Southwest border and have been working<br />
well there.<br />
vice president for homeland<br />
security solutions at Elbit<br />
Systems of America. “On the operational<br />
side, they are looking for a proven system that will<br />
assist <strong>Border</strong> Patrol agents identify, classify and track items of<br />
interest. This allows agents to coordinate a proper response for a<br />
successful mission and, more importantly, their own personal safety.”<br />
The first block of IFT will place towers along the Arizona-<br />
Mexico border, “where it makes the most sense to have them,” said<br />
Borkowski. “The current RFP focuses on Arizona because that part<br />
of the border is still hemorrhaging with traffic illegally<br />
entering between the ports of entry. The rest of the<br />
border is not as bad.”<br />
Raytheon Company has extensive experience in<br />
developing solutions for federal agencies to help maintain<br />
border security.<br />
“Raytheon is a leader in radar, command and control,<br />
and tracking systems, and Raytheon has significant<br />
experience integrating off-the-shelf technology<br />
quickly and effectively in border and critical infrastruc-<br />
But then SBInet ran into management and monture<br />
protection systems,” said TJ Kennedy, director of<br />
etary difficulty, and CBP came up with an alternative Mark Borkowski public safety and security at Raytheon Company.<br />
that would incorporate off-the-shelf technologies into<br />
“One of the most critical benefits of improving the<br />
a surveillance program to replace SBInet. The high-<br />
level of border security through the deployment of<br />
end portion of that concept, which involves mount-<br />
systems such as the Integrated Fixed Tower systems is<br />
ing radars and cameras on interlinked towers at key<br />
providing greater safety for the <strong>Border</strong> Patrol agents<br />
locations along the border, has now emerged as the<br />
who are out there on the line,” said Kevin Stevens,<br />
Integrated Fixed Towers program, or IFT.<br />
Homeland Security Strategy and Policy, Raytheon<br />
The request for proposals for IFT is now on the<br />
Company, and retired deputy chief, U.S. <strong>Border</strong> Patrol.<br />
street with a contract award expected later this year.<br />
The fixed towers allow the <strong>Border</strong> Patrol to “plant<br />
Several companies are considering participating in the<br />
the flag” in key areas of operation so that smugglers<br />
program.<br />
must shift their operations to areas where the <strong>Border</strong><br />
“Simultaneously with our dealing with the prob-<br />
Patrol can then react with transportable and mobile<br />
lems of SBInet,” related Mark Borkowski, CBP’s James Norton capabilities. Having the capability to detect activ-<br />
assistant commissioner in the Office of Technology<br />
ity, identify and classify the threat early is key to a<br />
Innovation and Acquisition, “we were approached by<br />
safer, faster enforcement response by <strong>Border</strong> Patrol<br />
companies that told us they had systems that could<br />
agents.<br />
help us. They might not have everything we were<br />
“In areas where technology doesn’t provide this<br />
looking for, but wouldn’t it be smarter to take an 80<br />
level of situational awareness, <strong>Border</strong> Patrol agents<br />
percent or 90 percent solution today?” That’s the route<br />
typically respond to border intrusions with very little<br />
CBP chose to take.<br />
information and generally have to identify and classify<br />
“The government is seeking a commercial off-<br />
the threat at the point of interdiction, which is too<br />
the-shelf solution to detect, track, identify and classify<br />
late,” added Stevens. “If the agents are able to deter-<br />
activities at the nation’s Southwest border,” said James<br />
mine what they are up against before they respond,<br />
Norton, vice president, Business Development for Gen-<br />
they will be in a much better position to determine<br />
eral Dynamics C4 Systems Washington Operations. Gordon Kesting how many agents are needed to respond and how they<br />
“It is essential that the solution be proven and rapidly<br />
should arm or equip themselves for a safe and suc-<br />
deployable.”<br />
cessful resolution of the event. They deserve no less, and if industry<br />
“The key theme we are hearing most often is CBP’s desire for can help get them this technology we will be performing a critical<br />
a non-developmental, off-the-shelf solution,” said Gordon Kesting, service.”<br />
10 | BCD 1.1<br />
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