09 Dec 09. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) took delivery today of the first maritime variant of the Predator B unmanned aircraft system (UAS). At a ceremony in Palmdale, California, CBP, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and General Atomics Aeronatuical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) unveiled the prototype maritime variant Predator B, known as Guardian. To support future mission requirements, CBP in partnership with the USCG is exploring a maritime variant of its Predator B UAS to increase reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting acquisition capabilities in maritime operating environments. For this purpose, GA-ASI, the manufacturer of the Predator B UAS, modified a CBP Predator B aircraft to become the Guardian. The Guardian has been modified from a standard Predator B with structural, avionics, and communications enhancements, as well as the addition of a Raytheon SeaVue Marine Search Radar and an Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Sensor that is optimized for maritime operations. The Guardian is expected to be ready for Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) in early 2010. This OT&E will be conducted jointly by CBP and USCG from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. After the Guardian completes operational testing this spring, it will be deployed to the drug source and transit zones to support joint counter-narcotics operations.
02 Dec 09. Lockheed Martin has partnered with a broad range of industry-leading utility companies on projects that will upgrade the nation’s electric grid – making it more efficient, reliable, interoperable and secure against cyber attacks. Lockheed Martin has partnered with PPL Electric Utilities, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative to provide cyber security solutions to address the challenges associated with integrating new smart grid technologies into the existing energy grid. Partnering with American Electric Power, Lockheed Martin will develop an advanced cyber security operations center to enhance the real-time cyber security monitoring and operations throughout AEP’s gridSMART infrastructure. Lockheed Martin is also working with three utility companies to provide smart grid consulting support and has teamed with another utility to provide program management services for portions of their smart grid deployment. In addition to smart grid projects, Lockheed Martin is working with its customers to address the nation’s challenges in the areas of cyber security, energy efficiency, management and storage, next-generation alternative energy generation and climate monitoring. The Corporation provides a full range of energy solutions to the government and industry, including the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, state and regional energy organizations, utilities and businesses.