08 Sep 09. TruePosition, Inc., a leading provider of wireless location technologies and solutions and a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, today announced that it was awarded a multimillion dollar contract for its TruePosition Location Platform to be used for national security purposes. The TruePosition Location Platform is a wireless location determination system, which can be tailored to meet the performance needs of the customer or application. For this national security solution, the location technology being deployed is Uplink Time Difference of Arrival
(U-TDOA). Renowned for its ability to accurately and reliably locate any mobile phone in any environment, including indoors, U-TDOA is currently
used across the United States to locate emergency 9-1-1 phone calls
dialled by mobile subscribers. Today, U-TDOA protects more than 100
million citizens and locates more than five million wireless 9-1-1 phone calls each month.
10 Sep 09. The US Army has awarded a contract to bioterrorism detection devices developer Universal Detection Technology to provide the detection equipment of harmful bio-agents. Under the contract, the company will provide biowarfare detection equipment that can detect bio-agents including anthrax, ricin and botulinum toxin in less than three minutes. In addition, the company will provide training equipment that allows users to become familiar with the test procedures without becoming exposed to any hazardous substances. The contract has been awarded by the military intelligence unit, National Reconnaissance Office Aerospace Data Facility-East. (Source: army-technology.com)
08 Sep 09. A sophisticated electronic early warning system aimed at combating soaring levels of piracy on the high seas has been developed by engineers at BAE Systems. The company is working in partnership with major ship owners, to assess commercial requirements in order to create the most effective solution to this increasing threat to maritime security. As a result, the team at BAE Systems has used its expertise in the defence, security and aerospace sectors to develop a suite of technology that enables a crew to detect a ship and identify suspicious activity at distances of up to 25km, long before pirate vessels become a threat. The early warning system gives the crew the vital time needed to take evasive action or alert navies to the danger. Nick Stoppard, BAE Systems Director of Solutions Development said: “Piracy is on the rise. Attacks in 2008 were double those of the previous year and there is a clear need for better methods to help commercial ships identify and evade pirates before an attack occurs. We have used our expertise in security engineering, technical analysis, systems design and integration to develop a layered defence system to improve the safety and security of ships and their crew. “This technology is just one aspect of work that we are undertaking across BAE Systems to address emerging global security issues.”
The system draws on a range of current capabilities developed by BAE Systems and includes:
— High Frequency Surface Wave Radar to detect small boats well beyond the horizon at up to 25km
— Panoramic Area Surveillance System 360o video camera and display system to provide visual identification. It includes movement detection and threat level alarms, with plans to incorporate infra-red
— Passive Radar Identification System (PRISM) to provide early warning of an unidentified radar carrying vessel
— Improved lighting to increase the likelihood of detecting intruders within the immediate vicinity of the ship at night and act as a deterrent
BAE Systems is currently undertaking a feasibility study into the use of this technology with ship owners and specialists from security organisations. Technology and capability sea trials in partnership with ship owners are expected to take place within the first three months of next year.
28 Aug 09. USAF firms up plans to buy COIN platforms. The U