Saudi Arabia Updates Visa Issuance Management with Aware Software

Aware [AWRE] says that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has begun deploying the company’s commercial-off-the-shelf biometrics software products as part of an update to their visa issuance management process. The updated system is using Aware’s Biometric Services Platform, the Universal Registration Client and related APIs. “The new system in Saudi Arabia highlights the scalability of Aware’s biometric services platform, designed to handle as many as 16,000 biometric enrollments in a single hour,” says Rob Mungovan, vice president at Aware. Aware served as the principal subcontractor to Fujitsu Arabia Ltd.

on the project.

Praemittias Systems Demonstrates SIGINT Technology for Homeland Security Mission

Praemittias Systems, LLC, earlier this month demonstrated its Defense Department-proven WOFHOUND signals intelligence (SIGINT) technology for members of the House Homeland Security Committee for person locating. Praemittias says the system, which weighs 23-pounds and can be carried in a backpack, can be used by a person or team such as Border Patrol agents to listen to and immediately locate persons of interest in the vicinity around them in remote regions where push-to-talk radios are used. The WOLFHOUND system has been tested and used for several years by U.S. Armed Forces, including Special Operations teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, the company says. Drug cartels and their scouts use these radios to communicate in remote areas. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the committee, is interested in having the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) make use of technologies that have been developed for the U.S. military, which means that DHS wouldn’t have to spend much money on development.

Raytheon Unit Developing New Approach to Cyber Defense

Raytheon [RTN] says its BBN Technologies business unit is working on the Plan X program, which seeks to help U.S. government agencies plan, execute and assess cyber network operations. The company is working under a $6 million contract from the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop network mapping and graph technologies for Plan X, with the goal to continually assimilate network information to create a multi-dimensional, single interface to enable planning of cyber operations. “It is a comprehensive program designed to provide easy-to-use cyber operations planning tools to users who may not have a deep background in cyber,” says Jack Marin, vice president for cyber security at Raytheon BBN.

Raytheon Opens cyber Facility in San Antonio

Raytheon [RTN] has opened its newest cyber facility in San Antonio, Texas, bringing the company’s cyber professionals in the area together as well as its full spectrum of cyber offerings for collaboration and easier integration for its customers. Raytheon now has 21 cyber facilities in five countries, with 10 of the centers in the U.S. “Raytheon is excited to be growing its presence in ‘Cyber City USA’ as San Antonio plays a significant role in developing the talent and delivering the technologies that our customers have come to rely on as they keep their edge in the cyber domain,” says Jack Harrington, vice president of Cybersecurity and Special Missions with Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services segment. “We expect this move will provide us the room we need to grow.”