Elbit’s Nogales IFT border surveillance system completes acceptance testing

Elbit Systems’ Integrated Fixed Towers (IFT) border surveillance system deployed outside of Nogales, Arizona, US, has successfully completed system acceptance and conditional acceptance testing.

The testing was carried out pursuant to its contract with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) to provide border surveillance system for the CBP’s integrated fixed tower project.

The successful testing follows several test activities to verify that the system meets its performance requirements, including the ability to detect, track, identify, and classify movement on the border.

The system is now available to the Border Patrol for operational use in conducting their daily mission.

CBP assistant commissioner and chief acquisition executive for Technology Innovation and Acquisition Mark Borkowski said: "The IFT programme is a critical element within our broader technology and surveillance strategy for the Arizona border.

"When fully deployed, we expect the system will significantly increase the awareness, safety, and operational effectiveness of our Border Patrol resources.

"We are very pleased to have reached these major milestones, which gives the Border Patrol the opportunity to become familiar with and to gain confidence in the system, while simultaneously providing direct support to agents in the field."

Hosted on workstations at the Nogales Border Patrol station, the IFT system features human machine interface and command & control software.

Under the terms of the deal, Elbit Systems will manage tower construction apart from integrating the sensors with power and communication systems.

Additionally, the company will provide training to Border Patrol Agents and logistics support.

In order to supply specialised elements of the IFT system, the company has signed up International Towers, for tower construction, Elta North America for the ground surveillance radar, FLIR Systems for the day/night cameras, and Cambium Networks for the microwave communication system.