642 ELSS delivers security system upgrades to first Navy site

  • Published
  • By Monica D. Morales
  • ESC Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  When one of the Navy's primary bases in Africa nearly quadrupled in size, the 642nd Electronic Systems Squadron responded proportionately to the new security demands its Tactical Automated Security System would be meeting there.

The squadron is currently delivering TASS capability upgrades to Camp Lemonier, United States Central Command's home base for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, and the very first of the squadron's collaborative efforts with the Navy.

"This is our first and the only Navy base that we're supporting, and hopefully this will be one step toward further expanding our joint relationships with another service," said Capt. Steve Smith, tactical systems program manager.

The 642 ELSS installed the TASS at Camp Lemonier in April 2004 when the installation belonged to the Marines. In 2006, it changed hands from the Marine Corps to the Navy.

The TASS, an intrusion-detection system, protects a military installation by using devices - thermal imaging cameras, radars and even mini-unmanned aerial vehicles - to detect threats along its perimeter. A centralized tower gathers the information and reports it to a computer at the base defense operations center, where operators pinpoint the threat's exact location and decide how to act upon it.

Camp Lemonier, located in Djibouti, Africa, provides operations to Somalia and Southwest Asia.

Last year an agreement between the United States and Djiboutian governments established a five-year lease that allowed for the site to increase from about 97 to 500 acres. The expansion would yield more space to build housing for the almost 1,500 personnel and would provide more site security.

For the squadron, that substantial growth translated into an expanded fence perimeter and called for putting in place the appropriate security devices to protect the installation.

"Extending the fence perimeter meant that there was a need to put in place some additional fiber-optic fence sensors and some more cameras for the expansion of the new operations and living areas," said Captain Smith.

Further capability upgrades include an enhanced command and control node, which is a part of the system's annunciator, the computerized schematic map that shows exactly where a potential threat is located. The installation of a speaker warning system and a communications tower are also slated as part of the upgrade.

"The tower will provide additional line of sight for the system itself," he said.

Feedback regarding the expansion of the system has been favorable. Navy Lt. Harry Cheng, a public safety officer at Camp Lemonier, said that the upgrades have resulted in changes that directly impact the security mission.

"The technology has enabled Camp Lemonier Security Forces to reduce the number of personnel at the perimeter," said Lieutenant Cheng. "It acts as a force multiplier, and the quality of life has significantly improved by reducing the number of personnel exposed to the harsh climate and the pervasive dust conditions in Djibouti."

Additionally, the expanded capabilities come with a resident tactical engineer who is on site to monitor any technical troubleshooting that may need to be executed. According to Lieutenant Cheng, the current engineer has proven to be an invaluable asset.

"The current resident field engineer has been working locally for over three and a half years," he said. "He routinely works above and beyond what is expected of him and is extremely effective in technically describing the security system to operators and VIPs".

For the 642 ELSS, upgrading the Navy system means that they have equipped war fighters with another way to focus on the mission.

"Having the TASS in place allows for keeping certain things within an installation, and keeping other things out," said Captain Smith. "As long as we're doing that, we're allowing the war fighter to continue doing his or her duty." 

CONTACT: Monica D. Morales, (781) 377-8543, Monica.Morales@hanscom.af.mil