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ARA Brings Intrusion Detection Solution to the
U.S. Air Force

In today’s environment of increased security threats both abroad and in the United States, the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) was searching for an effective and affordable solution to protect billions of dollars worth of aircraft and assets on their flight lines.  Their goal: to detect and identify potential threats and react to those threats before they can inflict harm on personnel, aircraft and other critical infrastructure.

AMC recently contracted with ARA to provide the newly developed Remote Automated Portable Intrusion Detection (RAPID) system, providing a wide area surveillance and perimeter security capability for AMC bases. RAPID is a portable, trailer mounted system that fuses ground based radar, high resolution day and night cameras, and wireless communications to automatically detect intrusions into prohibited areas, sound an alarm to security personnel, and provide day/night immediate visual assessment of targets.

Three RAPID systems will be deployed to Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, home of the 319th Air Refueling Wing, and one system will be located to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, home of the 375th Air Mobility Wing. The systems will be used for wide area intrusion and assessment around the bases’ flight lines.

André Shipp, an engineer with ARA’s North Florida Division, led an ARA team to develop the RAPID System after witnessing the shortfalls of existing security systems while serving as deputy chief of security forces for the 90th Space Wing.

“This is a problem that used to keep me up at night, knowing that a few 20-year-old airmen were standing in harm's way, faced with the Herculean task of protecting our most important military assets,” Shipp said. “The effective and efficient protection of our personnel and resources remains a critical objective for both civilian and military organizations. Many current systems are at the end of their life expectancy, and have serious limitations.”

Shipp’s goal was to create a portable trailer-mounted system that was easy to use, fully customizable and operable in all weather conditions, day or night.

“Bases located in cold climates often had to use blankets to keep equipment warm enough to be operable,” Shipp said. “We’ve designed a system that solved this problem.”

RAPID includes all-weather electronic equipment and a unique, self-contained power system made up of solar panels, batteries and a diesel generator that allows for up to seven days of operation without manually refueling.

“With RAPID, U.S. bases and deployed forces are able to quickly and inexpensively set up a security system with cutting -edge technological capabilities that requires no additional power or communications infrastructure,” Shipp said.

RAPID’s secure wireless communications capability allows real-time information to be sent to command and control centers as well as vehicle patrols.

“Some organizations also have existing sensors and cameras, which we can easily integrate into the RAPID System,” Shipp said. “This provides a tremendous cost savings.”

With the portability of the trailer system, Shipp and his team have been able to conduct demonstrations of the system for military and civilian agencies across the country over the past few months.

“Although initially designed for the Air Force, RAPID has application anywhere mobile, wide area detection and assessment is required, such as military bases, airfields, ports or other maritime security applications, power plants, border protection, detention facilities and other critical infrastructure,” said Chuck Red, manager of ARA’s North Florida Division. “The need is definitely there. Based on feedback from our demonstrations, RAPID is the first of its kind when it comes to capability and affordability.”

For more information about the RAPID System, visit ARA's RAPID Web site.

ARA recently demonstrated the RAPID System’s waterside maritime security capabilities at their downtown bayside Panama City facility for Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City officials.

The RAPID user interface shows radar detections, alarms when personnel enter user defined protected areas and provides live CCTV and thermal images of the intruder. The operators also have the ability to manually control the cameras for added surveillance. Pictured from left to right: ARA security engineer, Andre Shipp, and ARA computer engineer, Richard Tyson.

The RAPID system’s ICX control station gives operators situational awareness to then provide to responding forces. The radar provides detection and tracks intruders in the protected areas, and the cameras track intruders to give the operators immediate visual assessment.