Homeland Security News

New software on TSA’s millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers. In the coming months, TSA will install the software upgrade on all currently deployed millimeter wave imaging technology units at U.S. airports nationwide. The new software will be installed on all millimeter wave AIT units currently in airports, with plans to test similar software for backscatter units in the fall. AIT safely screens passengers without physical contact for both metallic and non-metallic threats, including weapons and explosives.

Currently, there are nearly 500 imaging technology units at 78 airports nationwide, including millimeter wave and backscatter units, with additional units planned for deployment this year.

National Security Technology Expo 2012 will be held from 6th – 8th February 2012 at the San Diego Convention Center. NST Expo 2012 is an exhibition and conference dedicated to promoting international innovation and technology to protect US maritime, airport and land borders in the fight against international terrorism and criminal activity and the threat of chemical and biological attack.

DHS announced the release of FY 2011 grant guidance and application kits for 12 DHS grant programs totaling $2.1 billion to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector in strengthening nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. In FY 2011, DHS grants were cut by $780 million from the FY 2010 enacted level, about 25% of FY 2010 DHS grant funding.

The newly announced grants focus on the highest risk cities that continue to face the most significant threats, while continuing to provide dedicated funding to law enforcement throughout the country to prepare for, prevent and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity. The 9/11 Commission recommended that homeland security funds be allocated “based strictly on an assessment of risks and vulnerabilities” to focus limited funding in the highest risk areas.

Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2011:

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—$1.2 billion for states or urban areas to build capabilities critical to security. HSGP consists of five programs:

• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)—more than $526 million to support the implementation of state homeland security strategies to build and strengthen preparedness capabilities at all levels. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of SHSP appropriated funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented planning, organization, training, exercise and equipment activities.
• Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)—more than $662 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density areas. In order to focus limited resources to mitigate and respond to evolving threats, the 11 highest risk areas (Tier 1) will be eligible for more than $540 million, while the remaining 20 urban areas, designated Tier II will be eligible for more than $121 million. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of UASI appropriated funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented activities.
• Operation Stonegarden (OPSG)—more than $54 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among federal, state, territorial, tribal and local law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders.
• Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS)—more than $34 million, to enhance and sustain comprehensive regional mass casualty incident response and preparedness capabilities, divided evenly among 124 MMRS jurisdictions.
• Citizen Corps Program (CCP)—more than $9 million to engage citizens in community preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery activities.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)—$10 million to eligible tribal applicants to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—more than $18 million to support target-hardening activities at non-profit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack and located within one of the FY2011 UASI-eligible urban areas.

Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)—more than $14 million to enhance catastrophic incident preparedness in high-risk, high-consequence urban areas and their surrounding regions and support coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events, including the development of plans, protocols and procedures to manage regional planning for terrorist attacks and other catastrophic events.

Transit Security Grant Program—more than $200 million to owners and operators of transit systems (including intracity bus, commuter bus, ferries, and all forms of passenger rail) to protect critical surface transportation and increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)—$10 million to freight railroad carriers and owners and offerors of railroad cars to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the freight rail system.

Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak) Program—more than $19 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)—more than $4 million to support security measures including plans, facility security upgrades and vehicle and driver protection for fixed-route intercity and charter bus services that serve UASI jurisdictions.

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)—more than $235 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness and strengthen risk management capabilities in order to protect against improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program—more than $14 million to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers to improve state, local or tribal emergency management and preparedness capabilities to ensure continuity of operations during disasters.

Driver’s License Security Grant Program (DLSGP)—more than $44 million to help states and territories improve security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in order to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud and enhance the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents.

Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) Program—more than $329 million to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

DHS announced $25.5 million in grant funding under the Border Interoperability Demonstration Project (BIDP)—a one-time competitive grant program focused on developing innovative solutions to strengthen interoperable emergency communications along the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico:

• City of Yuma, Arizona—$3,994,443 for the Yuma Full Voice and Data Integration Demonstration Project.
• San Diego Fire-Rescue, California—$3,852,580 for the Regional Command and Control Communications Tactical Border Communications Project.
• County of Washington, Maine—$3,963,163 for the Enhanced Communications Infrastructure and Partnerships for Border Security Project.
• Wayne County, Michigan—$4,000,000 for the Southeast Michigan Border Interoperability Solution Project.
• Interoperability Montana, Montana—$3,895,425 for the Northern Tier Consortium Border Interoperability Demonstration Project.
• Lake County, Ohio—$3,998,200 for the Multi-Agency, Multi-Jurisdictional U.S. Regional & International Interoperable Communications Infrastructure and Maritime Domain Awareness Project.
• City of McAllen, Texas—$1,940,000 for the Rio Grande Valley Border Interoperability Regional Project.

Funding under the BIDP can be used for equipment purchases, planning, training and conducting exercises.

World leaders who expressed their congratulations on the successful American action to kill Osama bin Laden, which will make both the United States and the world more secure. Each of the President’s counterparts, including President Calderon, Prime Minister Cameron, Chancellor Merkel, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Piñera, President Santos, and President Sarkozy, congratulated the President, and conveyed admiration for the courage and capability of the Americans who conducted the operation. The leaders discussed the ongoing terrorist threat that will require steadfast efforts in the future, and committed to working closely together to defeat al Qaeda.

The leader of the Palestinian militant Hamas government in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh has condemned killing Al Qaeda chief, calling the most successful counterterror sting “the continuation of the American oppression and shedding of blood of Muslims and Arabs” and praising “Arab holy warrior”. Since 2005 the United States has spent $540 million to support the Palestinian Authority’s National Security Force, including $150 million in the current fiscal year. Will the U.S. Government continue to fund the Palestinian Authority after Fatah-Hamas reconciliation deal? That would be ridiculous at the very least considering Ismail Haniyeh’s compassion for the world’ most deadly terrorist.

SMi are delighted to invite you to attend our 2nd annual Maritime Domain Awareness conference, held in London on the 20th – 21st June 2011, Crowne Plaza – The City Hotel.

In a time where Naval Forces around the world are facing budget constraints and piracy continues to plague all corners of the globe; it is vital to maximise co-operation between maritime authorities and private industry in order to create enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness.

Maritime Domain Awareness 2011 will feature an exceptional line-up of keynote speakers, thought-provoking presentations exploring multiple MarSec threats and the chance to network with key professionals from within the maritime community. Make sure you don’t miss this opportunity and register today

Hear from our industry-leading keynote addresses:

• Rear Admiral Charles W. Martoglio, Chief of Staff, HQ U.S. European Command
• Rear Admiral Cristiano Aliperta, Head of Safety Navigation Department, Italian Coast Guard
• Colonel Richard Spencer OBE, Chief of Staff, EU NAVAL FORCE
• Vice Admiral (Ret’d) Fernando Del Pozo, Maritime Surveillance Wise Pen Team, European Defence Agency

Speaker presentations will also cover key topics including: The Fight against Piracy in the Somali Basin; Maritime Domain Awareness and Italian Coast Guard Operations; National Maritime Intelligence Centre; Maritime Force Protection and Counter Piracy; Towards a European Maritime Security Strategy; Maritime Domain Awareness in the Port of London; Examining the Legal Issues Arising from Piracy.

For more information and to register visit: www.mda-security.co.uk or contact Steven Myers: smyers@smi-online.co.uk / +44 (0)20 7827 6090

On February 11, 2011 Astrophysics Inc. was awarded a multi-million dollar contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate for the projected 24 month development of a Multi-View and CT Capable (MVCTC) air cargo pallet inspection system.

Astrophysics will be the first to introduce this revolutionary product, featuring high resolution multi-view linescan imaging as well as 3D computed tomography CT reconstruction of an entire pallet or any given threat region. The system will provide a full range of multi-view and CT image manipulation tools along with automated decision algorithms to discriminate potential threat anomalies.

In line with DHS goals, the creation of the MVCTC system will enhance cost-effective penetration when screening high density materials and provide an operationally effective next generation solution.

Francois Zayek, President and CEO of Astrophysics Inc., commented

“We are excited to win this important development contract from DHS and look forward to close collaboration with our sponsors at the Directorate of Science and Technology. We believe by delivering this innovative technology we can transform the screening capability of the current air cargo industry.”

About Astrophysics Inc.
Astrophysics Inc. was founded in 2002 by Francois Zayek. Astrophysics offers a diverse x-ray product line including mailroom, checkpoint, baggage and cargo screening systems. Within the last decade Astrophysics has rapidly emerged as an industry leader in the global x-ray market- reaching an installation base of more than 5,000 units in more than 100 countries.

Astrophysics vision is to provide the best imaging technology in the industry. It is our focus on engineering research and integration of new technologies that distinguishes us from competitors and establishes us at the forefront of x-ray product development.
For more information please visit www.astrophysicsinc.com.

Contacts
Simon Bedford
Director of Government Programs
(909) 598-5488
sbedford@astrophysicsinc.com

Speaking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano aid that the “Big Data” problem is the second most important homeland security challenge:

“A second homeland security challenge is what is sometimes referred to as the “Big Data” problem. Many of you probably deal with a version of this in your own work: your research brings in reams of data, but what is essential is the ability to glean insight, and discern patterns and trends from a mass of information.

This is something that DHS deals with every hour of every day as a member of the Intelligence Community. Again, we first go through a rigorous process to make sure we are protecting individuals’ privacy and civil liberties. And we never take our eye off that ball. But intelligence is not just a matter of having information — it is also about what one does with that information, and how one figures out what it really means.

It is about discerning meaning and information from millions – billions – of data points. And when it comes to our security, this is one of our nation’s most pressing science and engineering challenges. I mentioned the two million airline passengers we process every day. Now add the more than 50,000 cargo containers that come every day through hundreds of air, land, and sea ports.

At the same time, DHS is part of the nation’s Intelligence Community, which receives more terabytes of data each day than the entire text holdings of the Library of Congress. The National Counterterrorism Center’s 24-hour Operations Center receives 8,000 to 10,000 pieces of counterterrorist information every day.

We receive data about all of this, and it is clearly too much to suggest that the simplistic “connect the dots” analogy accurately represents what an analyst must do. Very quickly, you can see that “Big Data” – more so than the lack of data – becomes the most pressing problem. At the same time, the threats implicated by the data are not static.

We therefore cannot overstate the need for software engineers and information systems designers. We need communications and data security experts. And we need this kind of talent working together to find new and faster ways to identify and separate relevant data. Then we need to organize the data in ways that analysts, agents, screeners, and guards can use, and we need to get it to them securely, and in real time.

Nor does the Big Data problem apply only to incoming intelligence. As threats continually evolve, we need to get smarter about what anomalies to look for, and therefore, better algorithms to spot them. Simply spotting, say explosives or radiological material, is not enough, however. We then need to be able to use that detection capability out in the field, for example, to identify a small, fast-moving boat carrying illicit cargo in a crowded port.”

The FBI has announced a new technology designed to revolutionize law enforcement’s ability to process fingerprints. The Next Generation Identification System (NGI), built by Lockheed Martin, delivers an incremental replacement of the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). NGI provides automated fingerprint and latent search capabilities, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints to more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies and other authorized criminal justice partners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Upon completion, NGI will have the ability to process fingerprint transactions more effectively and accurately. In addition to the new fingerprint identification technology, the NGI program has also delivered Advanced Technology Workstations to the FBI’s fingerprint examiner staff. The workstations include significantly larger display screens with higher resolution and true color support, allowing staff to see more detailed attributes of biometric data for more efficient decision-making.

Mantissa Ltd., a small Israeli startup company, announced successfull completion of the demo stage of its miniature radar, the size of a household camera. The patented system includes a sensor that combines high-frequency millimeter wave technology with innovative software algorithms that enable the radar to function in all weather and to identify threats with great precision.

Mantissa’s miniature MSHRS-300X sensor demonstrates the capabilities required for securing strategic facilities, critical infrastructures and borders. It works day and night, in all weather conditions, and weighs a mere 490 grams. Its staring antenna enables vehicle recognition from a distance of up to 600 meters and can distinguish people from animals at 300 meters. The radar provides full information of target range, velocity, azimuth and heading. Thanks to its size and weight, it is portable and easy to install.

According to Ehud Fishler, Founder of Mantissa, “Mantissa’s radars provide a solution to many of the drawbacks associated with security devices currently on the market, most of which are based on cameras. Camera usage involves costly personnel watching multiple screens. They have to work around the clock and are hard pressed to capture images at a great distance, track multiple objects, and work in bad weather or poor visibility conditions (like fog, dust and darkness). Our radars solve all these problems and outperform traditional VMD systems.”

Danny Seker, CEO of Mantissa, adds, “The capabilities, size, weight, and price of this radar make it feasible for use by every army unit, and military or civilian facilities. Our radar system supports a broad range of innovative functionalities and will usher in a new era for surveillance, security and urban safety. I have no doubt that within five to seven years radar-integrated cameras will be commonplace.”