HOMELAND SECURITY
02 Dec 07. China says it has also been attacked by computer hackers. Leading British firms and government agencies have been warned Chinese state organisations may be spying on them. UK intelligence network MI5 has contacted 300 chief executives and security experts at banks and financial institutions to raise the concerns. It is alleged that UK organisations may suffer a concerted cyber attack to gain commercially-sensitive data. Zhao Shangse, an official from the Chinese embassy in London, has denied the allegations. Recently, the head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, said that Britain faces a threat from digital espionage. It is believed the letter from MI5 warns companies that they are the target of attempts to gain technical and commercially sensitive information. Experts say there have been unprecedented waves of attacks on computer systems worldwide in the last year. A number of countries have accused China of trying to hack into their systems. It is believed many major developed nations engage in very similar behaviour. (Source: BBC)
04 Dec 07. QinetiQ delivers a robotic solution for fires involving Acetylene cylinders. Commuter disruption caused by fires that are close to railway tracks and involving Acetylene cylinders could be minimised if the current six month trial using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) continues to prove successful. Network Rail, working with the London Fire Brigade (LFB), has commissioned QinetiQ, the international defence and security technology company, to provide and operate specialised ROVs. These can be used to safely assess and deal with the cylinders, allowing incidents to be resolved more quickly, so enabling the lines to be promptly reopened.
29 Nov 07. The Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands signed a contract on November 28 for six Eurocopter EC135 P2i light twin-engine helicopters for the Dutch Police, KLPD (Korps landelijke politiediensten). The aircraft are to be delivered between mid-2009 and the end of 2009 and will replace the BO105s presently in service with KLPD. Eurocopter is proud to be adding the KLPD to its list of prestigious EC135 law enforcement customers.
Nov 07. MacNeillie, the West-Midlands based specialist vehicle body-builder, showed two compact and highly sophisticated operational vehicles at the recent Emergency Services Show at Stoneleigh. A new Armed Response Vehicle for Dyfed-Powys Police is based on a Mercedes Benz Vito and has MacNeillie’s latest and modular weapons and equipment stowage unit in the rear of the vehicle. “This is significantly less invasive on the base vehicle, thus giving better residual value when the vehicle is sold at the end of its service life,” says the firm. The second vehicle, a collaborative venture with an advanced communications technology specialist, incorporates the very latest command and control systems for effective incident management, including a system to communicate with response teams operating underground.