Air Force taps Clear Align for integrated electro-optical cameras and motion sensors for perimeter security

Summary points:

• Clear Align LLC will provide the Air Force with a scalable, deployable Tactical Security System (TSS) under a seven-year contract to enhance base and perimeter security.
• The TSS uses infrared and thermal imaging, PTZ cameras, ground sensors, and secure communications to detect threats in remote environments.
• TSS will offer real-time situational awareness and temporary security for forward-deployed installations, airfields, and emergency missions.

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – U.S. Air Force security experts needed integrated sensors technology to enhance base defense and perimeter security at Air Force forward-deployed installations. They found a solution from Clear Align LLC in Nashua, N.H.

Officials of the Protection Division of the Air Force Security Forces Center (AFSFC) at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., announced a $199 million seven-year sole-source contract to Clear Align last week for the Security Forces Tactical Security System (TSS).

This contract provides for a modular, scalable, tailorable, lightweight, rapidly deployable, ground-based tactical security and surveillance capability using electro-optical and motion sensors at remote deployment locations.

The TSS integrates enabling technologies to detect, assess, and respond to intrusions or threats -- especially in austere or tactical settings, and to provide situational awareness, surveillance, and force protection.

Sensors integration

For the TSS project, Clear Align experts will integrate infrared cameras; radar; artificial intelligence (AI); pan-tilt-zoom cameras; thermal imaging for nighttime operations; seismic, acoustic, and magnetic ground sensors; fence sensors or trip wires; command and control; portable operations centers; sensor fusion; real-time video; secure radio, data, and satellite links; and rapid-deployment kits.

The TSS will provide base and perimeter security in hostile and undeveloped regions; monitor perimeters, airfields, and weapons storage; provide real-time awareness of movements around a site; and temporary security for emergency deployments and exercises.

In 2024 Clear Align introduced a new family of products called Mamba that are portable border and perimeter security options in a more cost-effective system than the VZ 1200 series of medium-wave infrared (MWIR) multimodal wide area surveillance systems that Clear Align launched in 2022 for long-range persistent-surveillance applications like perimeter security and border control.

Mamba consists of autonomous command and control, cameras, AI, radar, and other sensors with autonomous identification and tracking of targets.

Perimeter security cameras

Performance enhancements of the VZ-1200 electro-optical sensors are based on advances in MWIR camera design and image processing. Thermal imagers incorporated technical advances in material science for mid-wave infrared, high transmission optical coatings, optical component fabrication precision, and mechanical design.

Detection, recognition, and identification at long ranges provide additional time to assess, decide, and act on threats such as people, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), land vehicles, and boats.

On this contract, Clear Align will do the work in Nashua, N.H., and should be finished by June 2032. For more information contact Clear Align online at https://clearalign.com, or the Air Force Security Forces Center at www.afsfc.af.mil.