Abu Dhabi's Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA) has awarded a contract worth $9 million to US-based ICx Technologies for setting up a network of surveillance towers all over the capital.
Under the contract, ICx will provide their integrated millimeter wave ground-based radar and thermal/CCTV imaging systems on mobile tactical platforms for deployment around critical infrastructure sites to provide comprehensive wide area surveillance.
The new systems will help detect, track and identify threats long before the perimeter is crossed, providing security officials with decision support and increased response time, the ICx Technologies said in a statement.
"With so many different manufacturers and conflicting data formats, perimeter security solutions today must integrate information from a variety of devices," remarked Colin Cumming, CEO of ICx Technologies.
Under the agreement, ICx Technologies will install a network of surveillance towers around the UAE capital, Ishaq Al Beshir, Director of operations for the CNIA said.
The towers 'will be equipped with radar-enabled cameras linked to a central communications system'. Installation of the new cameras will begin in April and take eight months.
Al Beshir also announced that Abu Dhabi will install thermal imaging cameras worth $1.2 million along its coast. 'These cameras can track ships up to 15 km offshore, and will detect a threat before it could enter the target area,' he added.
In 2009, ICx opened a regional Middle East office to support this and other significant perimeter security projects.