Photo credit: Sierra Nevada Corporation
Pirates, criminals, terrorists and smugglers with access to high tech equipment, advanced communications, weapons and high-speed craft — including drones and submersibles – are a growing threat to the political security and economic stability of many nations operating in the maritime domain.
Additionally, the rise in illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping at sea continue to exact a devastating economic and environmental toll on the world’s maritime nations.
As the importance of oceans, coastlines, economic exclusion zones and sovereign waters increases, countries are faced with a crucial problem: How to stop illegal activities while facilitating the safe flow of lawful travel and commerce in and around their sovereign maritime territory?
In this effort, physical protection, reconnaissance, monitoring and intelligence gathering are critical.
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), the global aerospace and national security company, is working with nations around the world to provide comprehensive, layered systems of border and maritime surveillance and security that are customized, supported and maintained by SNC engineers and professionals.
Combining decades of experience in aircraft modification and integration; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) technologies; target acquisition; and logistics support and maintenance, SNC’s skilled engineers and aviation and ISR specialists are building, delivering and maintaining cutting-edge, effective and affordable solutions to enhance nations’ capabilities for maritime and border security, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation and deterrence.
To ensure cost effectiveness and rapid deployment of these capabilities, SNC utilizes state-of-the art, commercial off-the-shelf and government off-the-shelf solutions to monitor and eliminate threats while enhancing the free flow of commerce and business operations essential to customers’ economic and financial stability and growth.
As a leading expert in ISR operations, technology insertions and aircraft modifications, SNC harnesses its decades of experience to customize and integrate advanced sensors and provide customers with enhanced detection, tracking and surveillance capabilities in regions where terrain, weather and distance pose significant obstacles to border security operations.
SNC equips aircraft with a sophisticated array of active and passive sensors, technical collection equipment and satellite communications capabilities to support multi-role, special mission services for a wide range of operations.
- SNC’s modified King Air 350 is in service with the U.S and multiple nations in daily maritime security operations, and has been recognized for its integral role in detecting and stopping smugglers and illegal fishing operations. As a prime systems integrator, SNC has more than 15 years of modification and integration heritage on the King Air, leveraging 800,000+ hours of operational experience on special mission platforms for a wide array of government and military customers.
- The SNC modified A-29 Super Tucano is the gold standard for light attack, combat and reconnaissance aircraft and a vital tool in many nations’ maritime, air policing and border security arsenal. Built in the U.S. by SNC and its partner, Embraer Defense & Security, the A-29 has been selected by 16 air forces worldwide. The A-29 is a versatile and powerful turboprop aircraft and is known for its rugged and durable design, which allows it to perform operations from unimproved runways and at forward operating bases in austere environments and rugged terrain.
- SNC’s High Altitude Platforms (HAP) and Tethered Aerostats balloons are tested solutions and in use with military and civilian border security agencies providing static and persistent surveillance that can be tailored to the threat. Equipped with radar and other ISR capabilities, these Tethered Aerostats detect all aircraft or watercraft within a 200-mile range and allow wireless transmitters from each balloon to share data instantly across a nation’s border security network, providing comprehensive situational awareness and allowing agencies to combat threats from sea and land. The HAP operate in Near Space and can detect and monitor targets over hundreds of miles.
- SNC’s Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) technology enables enhanced situational awareness in the maritime domain using high-tech sensors and provides Full Motion Video (FMV) at great distance to anywhere in the world in real time. It can be used to recognize and visually identify buildings, vehicles, ships and people as well as unusual activities, such as illegal fishing or pollution during the day or night.
SNC’s robust maritime and border security solutions also include hardened technology, including perimeter security systems — buried cables, fence detection and closed-circuit television (CCTV) — to be integrated into aerial networks in order to provide a Common Operations Picture and enhanced security.
In addition, SNC provides game changing technologies that solve the longstanding interoperability challenges stemming from incompatible and disparate communications, data sharing and message devices. SNC’s solution overcomes these challenges by leveraging military and commercial open-based standards to connect platforms, ground units and operations centers across domains.
SNC is committed to providing continuous product improvements, reliable effective service and 100 percent mission capable rates. SNC takes great pride in working onsite with the nation’s border and maritime protection agencies to implement and maintain SNC’s border security solutions.
As border and maritime security threats continue to evolve, Sierra Nevada Corporation is proud to be contributing to the enhanced security, defense and anti-pirating capabilities of the U.S. and allies. Our bold, forward-looking solutions are tailored, delivered and maintained to ensure safe commercial enterprise, protect our environment and curb illegal activities around the world.
