Geopolitical complexities and the continued rise of threat actors such as cases of terrorism and counter-insurgencies have caused an increase in global spending on military assets. Investments are being made in military modernization to improve defence preparedness, expand the technology base of the armed forces, and elevate inter-service coordination to assume a more proactive security stance.
While military assets protect the nation in times of need, how can we protect and secure these very assets from external threats? With 23 Air Force installations under our belt and a growing pipeline of similar projects, we've accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the unique challenges of securing these vital assets. Here’s what we have learned.
Military bases are complex ecosystems. They are not just buildings, complexes, and equipment, but spaces that contain sensitive personnel and classified data that impact national security. These bases also cover large spaces and present unique security challenges as threats become more advanced and sophisticated.
Data is the lifeblood of security. When it comes to national security and military assets, its role only increases. Security solutionshave to be robust and impenetrable to prevent catastrophic consequences that can compromise strategies, expose vulnerabilities, and put lives at risk.
It’s necessary to takea multi-layered approach that goes beyond physical protection.Putting the right checks and balances that protect information security and integrity while increasing intelligence are now crucial points of consideration.
Securing assets spread across sprawling military bases and sensitive and difficult locations requires a comprehensive security architecture. This architecture must integrate cutting-edge technology with strategic human intervention to build threat intelligence, develop increased responsiveness to security events, and drive a preventive security approach.
Some of the main challenges in securing military assets are:
Human surveillance needs the power of advanced, cutting-edge technology systems and solutions to keep military assets and people secure.
As terrorist threats, actions from non-state actors, and geopolitical tensions increase, here are some considerations and technologies that elevate surveillance capacities and improve security.
These systems are essential for driving constant vigilance. Radar systems detect unauthorized incursions and alert security personnel to potential threats. This technology combines ground and low-level air surveillance and detects, tracks, and classifies the threat spectrum.
Radar technology elevates situational awareness by detecting hidden objects, movement of people and assets through walls, etc with high accuracy, and low latency. AI-enabled radar tech can be trained to identify newer objects of various shapes and sizes and improve the security of military assets.
These underground sentinels monitor for tunnelling activities or ground disturbances and detect and deter attempted breaches. Fibre optics work extremely efficiently for signal transmission where cost, weight, and space are at a premium, making it an important technology for securing military assets.
These can be configured in closed or open loops, mounted on fences, buried in the ground, or a combination of both, and can guard critical assets. These are also lightweight and passive, unimpacted by electromagnetic interference, radio frequency interference, or environmental conditions making them perfect for military bases.
LiDAR is an optical, remote sensor technology that employs eye-safe light beams to detect human movement. It uses smart algorithms to detect and classify an object without invading privacy and delivers reliable detection ranging from short to long distances.
2D/ 3D Perception and all-weather operation drive performance. LiDar enables sensor fusion and allows sensors to connect together, track, and pass data to each other. This helps in creating invisible and impenetrable perimeters.
These high-bandwidth communication lines ensure real-time data transmission between security systems and facilitate rapid response to threats.
Drone technology is also increasing in importance in neutralizing (kinetic or non-kinetic) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) while in flight. The challenge with Military counter-drone systems lies in their complexity and high prices. Kinetic options thus become crucial to improve security responsiveness. Kinetic options focus on units that can be handheld or mobile, with easy setup and operation or fixed systems.
However, counter-drone mechanisms need a layered approach. Using fixed and portable systems takes us in that direction and drives the ‘On-Demand Denial’ of a high-security area.
Offering 24/7 surveillance, thermal cameras can identify intruders even in low-light or challenging weather conditions. Given the extreme climates and areas of military base location, thermal cameras with intelligence on the edge improve decision-making for surveillance and intrusion detection.
Apart from thermal cameras Infrared, License Plate, Red-Light cameras, high speed, short and long-distance monitoring, facial recognition is also important to increase surveillance capacities and secure military assets.
Intelligent perimeter intrusion detection systems prevent unauthorized access, and alert security personnel to breach attempts. Perimeter intrusion detection systems powered by fibre optics are more reliable and accurate. Single-mode OFCs and LiDar can be used to drive centimetre-level accuracy and identify the size, direction, track, and velocity of objects in the field of view.
Intelligent real-time object detection, tracking, identification, and classification, increased detection accuracy and eliminated false alarms. These systems can safeguard data networks against intrusion attempts by promptly identifying activities such as manual and mechanical digging.
Fibre optic technology also pinpoints the exact point of intrusion, provides actionable information to isolate problems, on the physical network, and can discriminate and classify events accurately.
Siloed and isolated security systems can no longer ensure the security of military assets. Much like critical infrastructure, military assets need 360-degree situational awareness. The technologies at work, thus have to be supported by an intelligent command and control system where all security systems are integrated appropriately and accurately.
As security systems become more intelligent, so must these command-and-control systems. The central monitoring systems need to be powered by Deep Learning and discernment algorithms for elevated security awareness. These allow organizations to analyze inputs from each of the sensors and help with critical decisions.
All virtual and physical components of the security systems are integrated into the central monitoring system. Expert partners like Athena help organizations address all system integration needs and ensure that they are connected and configured to increase intrusion detection accuracy, reduce nuisance alarms, deliver accurate insights, and elevate decision-making.
Technology is a powerful tool. But it is only as effective as the people who use it. We understand this challenge and prioritize extensive training for our personnel, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to operate security systems effectively. It also helps us respond to emergencies with precision.
As the security landscape evolves, so do we. We are dedicated to continuous improvement and are constantly evaluating new technologies and adapting our strategies to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Contact us today to discuss how we can customize a security solution that meets the unique needs of your military assets. Together, we can build an impenetrable fortress and ensure the safety of the nation's most valuable assets.