Lockheed Martin today announced it will invest $16 million over two years to build a Border Enforcement Solutions Center (BESC) in a southwest border community as part of its proposed Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) solution. SBInet is the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) comprehensive multi-year plan to secure America's borders and reduce illegal immigration.

The BESC includes a demonstration center and land border test bed, which will enable DHS and its industry partners to test and evaluate the readiness of new technology and border security solutions over the life of the SBInet program. The BESC will complement the company's Open Business Model(TM), which facilitates the addition of proven innovations from small businesses and suppliers throughout the program's duration.

"This investment demonstrates Lockheed Martin's commitment to help our nation secure its borders," said Bob Stevens, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. "Through our SBInet partnership, we would provide an enduring national resource for government, industry, and academia to evaluate and test emerging technologies to combat emerging threats."

Although located along the southwest border, the BESC will be used for testing and evaluating technology for both the Northern and Southern borders. Lockheed Martin's SBInet solution is a flexible system that gives agents at all levels an integrated picture of the nation's borders and the capability for rapid response. Lockheed Martin is identifying potential sites for the BESC and, if selected to deliver the SBInet solution, would announce the site selection shortly after contract award.

"Success on complex, geographically dispersed programs like SBInet is dependent in large part on continually assessing our solution in the face of changing security threats," commented Jay Dragone, vice president, Homeland Security Programs. "This center will allow us to fully leverage innovations from small businesses, view new technology, ideas and processes, and implement solutions when proven."

Lockheed Martin has teamed with eight companies -- Accenture, Advanced Technology Systems (ATS), HDR, Harris Corporation, High Performance Technologies Inc. (HPTi), Parsons Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services (STTAS) -- on its SBInet solution. Each company was chosen for its specific expertise in areas relevant for SBInet, including homeland and border security, biometric technology, critical infrastructure protection, and transportation and security systems.

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.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin