Leidos is advancing new tech for military base defense
A formation of fighter jets at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Photo: U.S. Air Force
Military base defense, also known as force protection, is seeing a new wave of technology in response to emerging threats including small drone attacks.
Why you should know: You might think of America’s military bases as secure, but they can be vulnerable to a number of threats from shooters to terrorists to spies, says Leidos Division Manager DeChanta Walker.
“Force protection means defense against not only surface, subsurface and aerial threats,” Walker said, “but also cyber, radiological, nuclear and many others.”
The solution: Leidos is developing new technology to enhance what Walker describes as the brains of the “smart base of the future.”
For example, the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy have adopted new software called JIGSAW, jointly developed by Leidos, that brings together a variety of sensors, cameras, weapons systems, alarms and reporting tools into a single view for base commanders.
“When you’re sitting in an operations center, you want to see exactly what the troops on the line are seeing,” says Leidos expert Glen Christensen. “You want all the information in one place. The old emergency communications center isn’t enough. The smart command center gives you much more information and awareness at your fingertips to see, understand and act.”
Christensen said the smart command center will feature cloud-based technology, biometric identity tools for access control and AI to automate communication.
Looking ahead: Will Johnson, a Leidos Sr. Vice President, said many are growing concerned about the proliferation of small drones and their ability to disrupt airfield operations, making non-kinetic weapons like high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves more and more important.
In December, the U.S. Air Force selected Leidos to enhance base security by detecting, tracking and defeating small drone threats at air bases worldwide.
“We are proud to support the Air Force’s mission to increase the operational capability of fielded and future counter-small unmanned aerial systems equipment,” Johnson said.
Please contact the Leidos media relations team for more information.
*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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