WASHINGTON, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - One of the largest US military suppliers Lockheed Martin has been contracted to provide a military-type radar system to monitor possible insurgents along the southern borderlands and coastal waterways of the United States, a statement published on the company's website Wednesday said.
"PTDS [Persistent Threat Detection System] is a robust system that has proven its worth protecting our forces around the world. Using PTDS to support the CBP [Customs and Border Protection] mission is an excellent way to leverage and maximize existing capital assets and experienced operators for border protection efforts," Lockheed Martin Vice President for Information Systems and Global Solutions Robert Smith said in the statement.
According to Border Patrol, the new system will allow border agents to monitor large swaths of the Rio Grande Valley along the US and Mexican border, where a surge of illegal immigrants attempt to cross into the United States each year.
"It [the radar system] provides the agents in the field with real time information of illicit activity, allowing them to respond quickly and appropriately," US Border Patrol Agent Joe Gutierrez told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
The radar system utilizes blimp type aircraft that is able to provide panoramic day or night surveillance. It is also designed to identify threats and track insurgent's movements along the borderlands and sea lanes and has been in use by the US Army since 2004, the Army has noted.
It, the system, is already in use among US coalition forces, involved in military engagements as well. With troop drawdowns in areas such as Afghanistan, more systems are becoming available for use in North America, the company said.
The US Air Force also confirmed they are employing the system.
Lockheed Martin said the system is much more powerful than other systems since it is able to project to longer distances.
Lockheed Martin's headquarters are located in Bethesda, Maryland. Last year, the company's sales were more than $45 billion.
