The Department of Homeland Security last week awarded Alliant Techsystems (ATK) contracts to retrofit three additional aircraft with the company's proprietary integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system. The three maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) will be based at various locations in the United States and used by CBP's air and marine operations to monitor drug trafficking and illegal immigration. They will also be available to perform search and rescue missions when required.

ATK's sensor suite allows the MPA aircraft to simultaneously detect numerous activities of interest at substantial stand-off range. Flight station operators using the arrays of sensors, displays and data links, can transmit critical data and intelligence instantaneously to ground and airborne control centers to assist in the interception and investigation of vehicles, aircraft, or persons of interest. The aircraft also record the data and imagery, which can subsequently be used for intelligence, investigation and prosecution.