Saturday, August 05, 2006
Jane's Defense on Swimmer Detection
Maritime attacks: detecting underwater terrorist threats
By Joe Charlaff
Although waterside port security includes threat platforms found above the water - such as fast boats, jet skis, swimmers and canoeists - it is just as important to examine the potential threats posed by divers, submersibles and underwater scooters. Underwater swimmers can serve as an ideal means by which to covertly deliver explosives or a chemical or biological weapon, and those with propulsion assistance can carry as much as a 100 kg payload.
In February 2005, the US Coast Guard, which is the federal agency with primary responsibility for waterside security at US sea ports, unveiled a weapon to help it defend marine facilities. The Underwater Port Security System can detect, track, classify and intercept intruders, and allows for the inspection of hulls and pier structures. Due to its modular and portable design, it is capable of being deployed nationwide on short notice. The system is now being deployed to Coast Guard maritime safety and security teams throughout the country.
Improvements in underwater security in the US arguably still lag behind those initiated in several other countries, including Singapore and Israel, which defend important installations against terrorist attack using a combination of patrols and randomly placed depth charges. Working with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, one of the world's largest ports, a local company, Stratech Systems, has developed what it calls a vessel image-processing system, which brings together cameras, radar and underwater sonar, and automatically detects, identifies, tracks and predicts the movement of vessels passing through a waterway.
Israel's Rafael Armaments Development Authority, meanwhile, has developed two systems for the Israeli navy against the threat of diver intrusion. Both are incorporated into Rafael's Harbour Defence System and are currently being evaluated.
Joe Charlaff is a freelance journalist who specialises in homeland security issues
Full Story
Blog Tags: Antiterrorism, Counterterrorism, Force Protection, Homeland Security, Maritime Security, Port Security
By Joe Charlaff
Although waterside port security includes threat platforms found above the water - such as fast boats, jet skis, swimmers and canoeists - it is just as important to examine the potential threats posed by divers, submersibles and underwater scooters. Underwater swimmers can serve as an ideal means by which to covertly deliver explosives or a chemical or biological weapon, and those with propulsion assistance can carry as much as a 100 kg payload.
In February 2005, the US Coast Guard, which is the federal agency with primary responsibility for waterside security at US sea ports, unveiled a weapon to help it defend marine facilities. The Underwater Port Security System can detect, track, classify and intercept intruders, and allows for the inspection of hulls and pier structures. Due to its modular and portable design, it is capable of being deployed nationwide on short notice. The system is now being deployed to Coast Guard maritime safety and security teams throughout the country.
Improvements in underwater security in the US arguably still lag behind those initiated in several other countries, including Singapore and Israel, which defend important installations against terrorist attack using a combination of patrols and randomly placed depth charges. Working with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, one of the world's largest ports, a local company, Stratech Systems, has developed what it calls a vessel image-processing system, which brings together cameras, radar and underwater sonar, and automatically detects, identifies, tracks and predicts the movement of vessels passing through a waterway.
Israel's Rafael Armaments Development Authority, meanwhile, has developed two systems for the Israeli navy against the threat of diver intrusion. Both are incorporated into Rafael's Harbour Defence System and are currently being evaluated.
Joe Charlaff is a freelance journalist who specialises in homeland security issues
Full Story
Blog Tags: Antiterrorism, Counterterrorism, Force Protection, Homeland Security, Maritime Security, Port Security
1 Comments:
There is technology available for detecting swimmers and a host of other underwater concerns directly related to port security and vessel security. I've seen it. The USCG has seen it. NORCOM has been made aware of it. The Nevy is testing it. It was used to inspect port bulkheads before a big national event some time recently. I've been told there is nothing like it on the market. It seems like the right technology for the moment. It seems ahead of the pack by years. But do you think anyone is willing to go out on a limb and buy this technology now? If they were I would e writing a different note. It is five years after 9-11 and we are not acting as fast nor as smart as we could. The war on terror is now in play for generations, so lets not fool ourselves. We should be acting and not deliberating.
By
Ken, at Saturday, August 12, 2006 11:24:00 AM
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