SAND2010-1354C

Border Security

March 2010
Dr. Dianna Blair

Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company,

for the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration
under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
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 Sandia was created in 1948 to perform non-nuclear
engineering, qualification, and test & evaluation for the
U.S. nuclear weapons complex

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 Sandia National Laboratories Today

Nuclear Weapons

• Six locations
• New Mexico
• California
• Hawaii
• Nevada
• Texas
• Washington, D.C.
Defense Systems and Assessments
• Workforce profile – 10,000 people
• 8600 permanent staff
• 65% Science and Engineering
• 50% PhDs/ Masters

• 1300 sabbaticals, post docs, students,

interns
• 2200 contractors
• 500+ university collaborations Homeland Security &
Energy and Nonproliferation Defense
• Annual budget (2006) $2.3B

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Supported by a science, technology, & engineering base.
 Homeland Security & Defense Programs

Chemical and
Physical Security
Biological Defense

Force Protection
Base Infrastructure Protection

Borders Security

Radiological and
Nuclear Defense
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 Sandia National Laboratories
Borders Security Capabilities & Expertise

Field Testing
• Outdoor Test Facility (OTF) Specialized Facilities
• Intrusion Detection Sensor Field • Environmental Testing
• TEAMS Site Complex
Integrated Test Site • Port of Albuquerque/Livermore
Container Terminal

Relevant capabilities and expertise

• Systems analysis
• Systems modeling
• Red teaming
•Tunnel detection
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• UAVs
• Underwater monitoring
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 Global Border Management Systems
Strengthening global efforts to prevent and detect
the proliferation of WMD-related materials, equipment, and technology

• Workshops and Training

– Border Management Systems
– Needs Assessment
– Export Control
• Assessment and Analysis
– Science & Technology Foundation
Indian and Pakistani Admirals Discuss
– International Security Engagement Maritime Boundary Issues

– Visiting Scholars Program

• Technology Test and Evaluation

Since the early 1990s, SNL has been involved in Global

Border Security efforts in North America, Russia,
FSU, Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
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 Global Border Management Systems

Pakistani observation post along Highlighted areas indicate past and present
the Pak-Afghan border
Contraband Detection in ME Global Security Engagements

Field Test & Evaluation

Sensor, camera, and communications array at

the SNL Border Security System Test Facility

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 Border Security Mission

Frontier Borders
Intercept unauthorized flows of people and goods
through the frontier border
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Land Ports of Entry
Facilitate authorized flows of people and goods
through the Ports of Entry, while intercepting illicit
traffic and illegal immigration
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Maritime Domains
Operations oriented toward facilitating authorized
flows of people and goods in territorial waters and
maritime ports while intercepting illicit traffic and
illegal immigration

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 SNL Testing & Evaluation

Honest Broker Mission

Provide an independent, unbiased evaluation of security
systems and technologies
Sandia experience
Over 30 years designing and testing security systems and
technologies for the US Nuclear Weapons Complex
Approach
Systems engineering, performance-based methodology derived
from our nuclear weapons work

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 Testing and Evaluation Overview

• Scientific testing ensures that quality performance data

exists to provide a basis for effective design and
implementation of security systems and technologies
• Testing is based on standardized test procedures against
an established design basis threat
• Testing: functional, performance, and vulnerability to
defeat
– OT&E
– Probability of Detection (Pd)
– False alarm/Nuisance alarm Rates (NAR/FAR)
– Degradation factors
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 Sandia’s Unique Facilities & Capabilities

• Intrusion Detection Sensor Test Facility

• Border Sensor Test Range
• Technical Evaluation Assessment Monitor Site (TEAMS)
• Container Security Evaluation Facility
• Environmental Testing Facilities
• Delay Laboratory
• Video Assessment Laboratory
• Biometrics Laboratory
• Explosive Detection Laboratories
• Satellite Imagery and Analysis
• Super Computing Facilities
• Vulnerability Assessment

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 Intrusion Detection Sensor Field

IDSF is a multi-purpose area for

testing performance and
concepts applicable to physical
security sensors

– Exterior security sensors

– Interior security sensors
– Assessment capabilities

Capabilities

Facility Characterization
On-site test beds
System Design
Installation Oversight
Alignment and Calibration
Acceptance Testing
Intrusion Detection Sensor Field
Maintenance Training

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 Border Sensor Test Range

Provides flexible operational test capabilities

•Integrated Test Site
•Command Center
•Sensor testing
•Camera testing
•Radar testing
•Communications Systems Testing

Integrated
Integrated Test
Test Site
Site Data Fusion &
Communications
System Testing

Sensor Testing
Camera Testing

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 SNL Border Security System Test Facility
for Open Border Monitoring

Objectives
– Evaluate, deploy, test, and
demonstrate border security
technologies and systems in realistic
outdoor environments.
– Large open area with mobile and
fixed-site command center
Testing Tower and Mobile Command Center
– Enables the gathering of
performance parameters from
analysis
– Infrastructure for testing
unattended ground sensors and
cameras

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 Technical Evaluation Assessment Monitor Site
(TEAMS)

TEAMS provides a stable, flexible, multi-purpose area

to test concepts applicable, but not limited to, radiation,
biological, chemical, and explosive sensors
– Cooperative SNL/DTRA facility
– CONOPs development
– Background measurements
– Performance measurements
– Calibration, testing
– Radiation sources

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 Container Security Evaluation

Port of Albuquerque
PoA provides a multi-purpose area
to conduct functional, performance,
and defeat testing for maritime
security devices.
– Cargo Containers
• 20-ft, 40-ft,40-ft Hi-Cube,
• Steel & Aluminum
– Infrastructure
• Communication
• Lighting

TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES
Objective Goal Threshold
Livermore Container Terminal
Detect a hole in the container
Time to detect hole in the container OT&E of Container Security Devices
Time to detect door open status Advanced Container Security Device R&D
Linear distance to detect door open
Time to detect person(s) [> 50lbs/110 lbs] Partnership with Port of Oakland
Probability of Detection (Pd) of an alarm event
Probability of False Alarm (Pfa)
- Deploying systems
False Alarm Rate (Rfa) - Est. baseline conditions & OT&E in
Operational Availability (Ao)
Power Source Duration
CA- HI trade lanes
Cost/Trip

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 Environmental Testing Facilities
Shake Table

Environmental testing of component-level

assets to full systems
• Mechanical shock
• Temperature testing
• Vibration testing
• Radiation testing
• Salt fog

Facilities in NM, CA, NV, and HI

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 Modeling and simulation tools provide systems
analysis of security and operations at US borders

Land ports Airports

Integrated SoS Models and Analysis

Seaports
Economics
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 Sandia has capabilities to assess effectiveness of
protection systems and perform red team assessments

Red Teaming
• Flexible tool for current
or dynamic threats
• Measurable,
Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation (JCATS) reproducible, and
• Large-scale, theater-level simulations actionable results
• Smaller force-on-force interactions
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 Sandia has efforts assessing current methods for
tunnel detection and developing new techniques

• Current technology assessments

– Seismic and acoustic sensors for detecting people
– Active geophysical techniques such as gravity
gradiometry, EM resistivity and gradiometry, seismic
reflection
– Experience in underground characterization from
Otay/Mesa/Calexico with NORTHCOM, DOE waste
remediation and energy exploration, and DoD hard
target defeat

• Development of advanced systems

– Systems analysis of tunnel construction to identify high-
risk sections of border
– Tunnel finding/monitoring system such as instrument
intelligent passive seismic, acoustic and EM sensor
systems
– Monitor for specific tunnel detection
• Use complete signatures of tunnel construction activity
– Use background noise to create subsurface images
• Direct tunnel imaging
• Change detection

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 Sandia’s capabilities allowed us to quickly develop
and execute a T&E program for underwater detection

• Multi-vendor, multi-customer tests

– NOAA Facility, Lake Washington, WA
• Demonstrate performance in detecting &
identifying humans
• Evaluate heuristic deployment, automated
alarming
• Range of real-world operations & conditions

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 Sandia Synthetic Aperture Radar Systems

Novel Real-time SAR and Interferometric SAR

• Two decades experience
• Multiple frequency bands
(VHF, UHF, L, S, X, Ku, Ka) HRTI 4 Real-time Topographic
• Ultra-fine resolution (4”) Mapping
• Real-time Exploitation (Coherent Change
Detection, Aided Target Recogntion, Ground
Moving Target Inidcation)
• Full system development Expanded View of a 2.5 Ton Truck

• Miniaturized systems 20

• Fielded operational systems

40

Range Bin [ 4 inches / bin ]

60

80

100

120

Coherent Change Detection 140

20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Doppler Bin

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 Sandia has developed UAV-based instrumentation
payloads and T&E of UAV systems and operations

UAV command, telemetry, power interfaces

• Over 20 yrs experience Laser head, optics, detectors

• Data collection in more than 460
operational flight hours Laser control unit
• WMD proliferation missions
• Chem/bio stand-off detection
• Climate prediction and climate
change assesments
• Working relationship with UAV
manufacturers
Payload Control Unit

2 axis inertially stabilized gimbal

UAV Mechanical Interface

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 Networked Detection Systems
For Virtual Presence/Extended Defenses

• Sandia is performing OT&E and Field

Development Evaluations for VPEDs
components, and subsystems for DOE and
DoD programs.
– Radar systems
– Thermal imaging
– IP video
– Wireless communications
– Ground sensors
– Algorithms for data processing
– VPS architecture and systems
• Networked systems solutions

21st Century Border Solutions require 21st Century Technology and Systems
• Networked Sensors, Data Fusion, Decision Support

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 Sandia is Involved in Remote Field Testing and
Cooperative T&E Efforts at the Borders

Border Patrol Agent Ground-Based Radar Technology

Installing Sensor

National Guard Installing

Seismic Sensors
Fiber Optic Fence Sensor Fiber optic protective measures test at SNL
Installation

Collaborative testing
US & Canada

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 Collaborative US Border Patrol / Canada’s
Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBET)
Long Range Video

US Border Patrol Agent

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Agent

Ground Sensors

Maritime Radar Testing

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 Long Range Sensors
(Acoustic Fiber Optics)

Fiber Optic

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 Ground Surveillance Radar Testing
by Border Agents

Mohawk Valley, 65km southeast of Yuma, AZ

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 Performance Sensor System Testing
• Probability of Detection
• NAR / FAR
• Vulnerability Assessment

Seismic -- human walking versus distance

Night Testing of Passive Infrared
Testing BA-5590 Batteries

Testing Against Various Threat Types --

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 Sandia Synthetic Aperture Radar Systems

Novel Real-time SAR and

Interferometric SAR
• Two decades experience
• Multiple frequency bands (VHF,
UHF, L, S, X, Ku, Ka)
• Ultra-fine resolution (4”)
• Real-time Exploitation (Coherent
Change Detection, Aided Target
Recognition, Ground Moving Target
Inidcation)
• Full system development
• Miniaturized systems
• Fielded operational systems
Coherent Change Detection

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 Coherent Change Detection (CCD)

• Two SAR passes

• Similar imaging geometries

• Accurate motion
compensation

• Accurate image registration

• Availability of complex
image data

• Low-loss image
compression and transfer

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 Baseline CCD map example

SAR magnitude image CCD map

• CCD map depicts of regions of de-correlation (dark pixels) indicating change

• Baseline CCD map indicates all regions of de-correlation
• Some of these regions are non-informative false-alarms
• CCD map exploitation could be improved by development of enhanced map generation

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 Automated CCD exploitation example

• Left image: notional enhanced CCD map

• Right image: notional exploited CCD map with cues
– User can toggle cues consistent with different types of change
– Cues enable quick, targeted searching of specific types of interesting
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change in large volumes of CCD map imagery
 Summary & Conclusion
Sandia National Laboratories

• Has a long history of developing Systems to Solve

challenging National Security Problems
• Builds solutions on strong analytical and technology
foundations using a Systems engineering approach
combined with field test and evaluation
• Looks for Opportunities to partner with other
government agencies, industry and academia

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