Lockheed Martin has linked with the Multi-Sector Crisis Management Consortium (MSCMC) in Arlington, VA, as part of the company's ongoing effort to shape its SBInet solution. The Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) is a comprehensive multi-year plan to secure America's borders and reduce illegal immigration.

A nonprofit organization sponsored by the National Center for Supercomputing, the MSCMC was designed to address large-scale issues that require the input and expertise of government agencies, academic institutions, and private and nonprofit groups. Through its worldwide connections with academic and scientific research and development organizations, as well as its ability to bring groups together virtually, the MSCMC is equipped to provide unprecedented access to experts in the field of modeling, simulation and data mining.

"Contributing to a solution of SBInet magnitude is exactly what the MSCMC was designed to do," added Jay Dragone, vice president of Homeland Security Programs at Lockheed Martin. "And bringing together a diversity of groups -- from tribal nations to law enforcement to local governments -- is exactly what's needed to create an immediately deployable, successful program for tightening our borders and providing greater security for our country's citizens."

"The supercomputing infrastructure and knowledge base of our members and partners are two of the many benefits we bring to help Lockheed Martin actively shape a workable SBInet solution," said Janet Thot-Thompson, the consortium's executive director. "Through a big broadband network infrastructure, we can link facilities and people on both the northern and the southern borders with academic experts to help develop concepts, promote border security research and development, and coordinate testing, training and operations."

The MSCMC has been used by both national and international groups to walk through crisis management scenarios. In 2000, the MSCMC hosted the Top Officials (TOPOFF) exercise, a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional terrorist WMD incident response exercise developed to better prepare senior federal, state and local government officials for crisis response and management. Other exercises and forums facilitated by the MSCMC have focused on infectious disease, security at the Olympic Games, pervasive sensing, and robot-assisted rescue.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

             For additional information, visit our Web site:
                      http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

             For additional information on the MSCMC, visit:
                           http://www.mscmc.org/

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin