By Calvin Biesecker
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Acquisition Review Board (ARB) on May 21 gave the nod for the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program to begin installing sensors and communications equipment on a relatively small stretch of Arizona’s border with Mexico and also approved the deployment of another installment of the electronic fence along another stretch of the state’s border with Mexico.
The approval by the ARB marks a key milestone in the development of the electronic fence portion of the SBI program, known as SBInet. Customs and Border Protection, the DHS agency responsible for SBInet, previously had permission from DHS to construct permanent sensor and communications towers along the 23-mile stretch of border called Tucson-1 but was prohibited from hanging cameras, radars and communications equipment on them pending resolution of some outstanding technical issues (Defense Daily, May 11).
With the technical issues apparently resolved, at least to DHS’ satisfaction, the SBInet will begin deploying along more than 50 miles of Arizona’s border with Mexico for operational testing that could begin later this year.
The ARB meeting last week was chaired by Elaine Duke, the under secretary for management at DHS. The meeting was delayed a day due to scheduling conflicts.
The second stretch of electronic fencing includes 30 miles of border and is called Ajo-1. The ARB decision allows for site preparation, tower construction and the installation of sensors and communications equipment for Ajo-1, a spokeswoman for CBP told Defense Daily yesterday.
The SBInet program has been plagued with delays due largely to previous technical shortcomings in the sensors and command and control software that will be used to display information for Border Patrol agents in their stations.
Boeing [BA] is the prime contractor for SBInet. Key subcontractors for the day and night cameras and the radars that will be hung on the towers are FLIR Corp. [FLIR] and Griffon Corp.‘s [GFF] Telephonics division.
DHS continues to monitor the program closely and is slated to receive a status update on SBInet next week.
SBInet is expected to provide a 70 percent detection rate against incursions between ports of entry. Two hundred unattended ground sensors for helping to detect illegal activity will also be deployed in Tucson-1 and will also be linked to the command and control system.
System Acceptance Testing at Tucson-1 is expected to begin this summer with the operational tests done by the Border Patrol starting in December.