Border securityRAID surveillance system deployed along border

There are military technologies which offer value in non-military purposes such as border security. The Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment (RAID) program is one of them. The program is a combination of cameras and surveillance equipment positioned on high towers and aerostats. Aerostats differ from blimps in that blimps are powered, while aerostats are anchored to the ground through a cranked tether that also supplies electrical power. Because the aerostats are not highly pressurized, bullets will not burst them and they can remain buoyant for hours after suffering multiple punctures.

The RAID concept began with a smaller TCOM 17M aerostat as the base platform, instead of the TCOM 71M JLENS aerostats used for cruise missile and air defense. Its sensors were also optimized for battlefield surveillance, rather than JLENS’ focus on powerful air defense radars. The result is a form of survivable and permanent surveillance over key areas that has been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. “Aerostats” has actually become something of a misnomer, however — RAID can also be deployed as a tower system, and this “Eagle Eye/ GBOSS” deployment is turning out to be the preferred mode.

Raytheon continues to received contracts from the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army for new towers, as well as maintenance of existing systems.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $79 million contract to provide L-88(V)3 radar systems to the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command’s Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) along the southern border of the United States.