HMDS installs fully automated marine security gate at Israeli naval base

Halo Maritime Defense Systems (HMDS) has installed a first-ever fully automated marine gate at a naval base in Israel.

Developed in collaboration with the US Navy and the Ocean Engineering Program at the University of New Hampshire, the HMDS Guardian Gate spans the entire breakwater-to-breakwater length of the opening to the base, and fully completes the security perimeter.

A simple push of a button retracts the barrier and enables the passage of vessels.

HMDS president Brendan Gray said: "Normally, the waterside opening to a base like this would be secured with surveillance cameras and possibly patrol boats but never before with a proven, automated 24/7 protective gate.

"The marine gate provides ease of access while offering unparalleled security, and at significantly less life-cycle cost than the alternatives with a Return on Investment (ROI) of less than 2 years."

HMDS advisor, US Department of Homeland Security First Secretary and former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge said the gate is believed to be ‘the definitive answer to addressing the threats posed by small boats to strategic and sensitive waterside assets around the globe-military, commercial and even residential.’

Having a 15-year design life, the HALO barrier is claimed to be the only barrier in the world to have been validated in independent, fully instrumented crash testing by the US Navy.

Applications for the new technology include ports and harbours, oil and gas assets, as well as nuclear power plants and other sensitive waterside infrastructure.