HOMELAND SECURITY
21 Apr 09. At the Naval Security & Offshore Patrol Vessels Middle East 2009 conference held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, on 21 and 22 April, DCNS presented key products for countering piracy and securing sea lanes. International experts gathered in Abu Dhabi to share information and explore solutions to combat the growing and highly mobile threat of piracy. DCNS presented the Gowind® family of OPVs and corvettes. With displacements ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 tonnes, these vessels offer the capabilities needed to meet emerging threats. Gowind® OPVs and corvettes combine innovations to optimise ship-based naval, commando and coast guard operations, including the covert deployment of fast commando boats in less than 5 minutes, optimisation of helicopter and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operations, dedicated mission planning area and inherent flexibility. The Gowind® family also benefits from DCNS’s vast experience in IT and command information systems, including the Matrics® MAritime TRaffic Intelligence & Control of the Sea system. Matrics® radically improves maritime surveillance by automatically detecting suspicious behaviour by ships and craft using networked vessels and shore-based control centres. The Gowind® family offer navies state-of-the-art resources meeting emerging mission requirements from counter-piracy to sea control and denial. These capable surface combatants are ideal for counter-terrorism, drug interdiction and anti-smuggling operations, the protection of oil and gas platforms, search & rescue, fisheries and environmental policing and humanitarian support.
09 Apr 09. CBP enhances Citation II aircraft with Vixen radar. The US Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) Air and Marine division has embarked on a programme to recapitalise its unarmed Citation II surveillance and tracking aircraft with Selex Galileo’s Vixen 500E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fire-control radar. Under the USD9.2 million contract, Selex is supplying TKC Aerospace with three Vixen radars (two operational, one spare) and two associated mission management systems for installation aboard a first tranche of two CBP Citations. (Source: Jane’s, IDR)