UAV surveillance deployed over The Bahamas

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UAV surveillance deployed over The Bahamas
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Deployment Status Ongoing
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Start (2 January 2019, Documented, ?, No description)

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Country The Bahamas
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Information Certainty Speculative
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Summary In 2020 Swift Tactical Systems was awarded a 17 million dollar contract to provide The Bahamas with a UAS (unmanned aerial system) control and command center and fleet. While it is not clear what capabilities they may have, Swift Tactical Systems markets itself as a provider of real-time intelligence for militaries and governments, and use techniques such as Lidar photogrammetry which involve image processing and therefore possibly imply object detection or person detection. As part of the programme, Swift Tactical Systems trained the Royal Defence Force of the Bahamas. Given The Bahamas proximity to the US border immigration seems to be the concern, as well as drug trafficking. The fleet has also been used for aerial reconaissance in the wake of a hurricane. The operations system is connected to the police's shotspotter technology.

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Information Certainty: Speculative


Deployment Purpose: Surveillance, Border Control

Summary
In 2020 Swift Tactical Systems was awarded a 17 million dollar contract to provide The Bahamas with a UAS (unmanned aerial system) control and command center and fleet. While it is not clear what capabilities they may have, Swift Tactical Systems markets itself as a provider of real-time intelligence for militaries and governments, and use techniques such as Lidar photogrammetry which involve image processing and therefore possibly imply object detection or person detection. As part of the programme, Swift Tactical Systems trained the Royal Defence Force of the Bahamas. Given The Bahamas proximity to the US border immigration seems to be the concern, as well as drug trafficking. The fleet has also been used for aerial reconaissance in the wake of a hurricane. The operations system is connected to the police's shotspotter technology.



Location:
CityNassau (BS)
Country⠉The Bahamas
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Description[ ]

In 2020, The Bahamas spent 17 million on a new drone programme from California based UAV company Swift Tactical Systems. These drones likely have a range of capabilities that could include some form of object or person detection. They are designed for the control of trafficking and crime, but have been extensively used to provide reconaissance following hurricanes and to find migrants.

During a recent press conference, Marvin Dames, Minister of National Security, was cited as saying, “We are confident the drones will change the landscape of law enforcement in the country. From following suspects of a robbery to finding the location of illegal immigrants and having an aerial view of the prison or pinpointing a drug boat, we have made it our mission and commitment to ensure this technology will be multi-agency and shared between all agencies.” 2

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe says he has concerns about the $17m drone system project his predecessor executed. He spoke to reporters in Inagua on Friday as more than 500 migrants were repatriated to Haiti. Former Minister of National Security Marvin Dames led the execution of a contract with California-based Swift Systems for a drone programme that he said should lead to “record level” crime reduction. Asked about the matter in Inagua, Mr Munroe said: “A technology that’s on the horizon and would be very useful if we had it at this time certainly is the long range drone capacity. I did have a briefing on that together with our coastal radar that would permit us to put in place a blockade, a cordon perhaps with the deployment of fewer vessels 3

To protect the country’s borders, the RBDF executed Operation Blue Thump, a maritime blockade strategy with several layers, according to Captain Glenn McPhee, commanding officer of the RBDF’s southern command. He said: “The first layer of the operation is the southern border, complete blocking of the southern border; the second layer is the Central Bahamas, ensuring that by any chance something slips through the first layer we are able to capture them in the second layer; to date, we have interdicted or apprehended in excess of 1,000 irregular or illegal migrants coming to our shores. This was a result of Operation Blue Thumb in collaboration with all of our regional and international partners.” Mr Bell confirmed that one apprehended migrant has died. Officials, however, gave no further details on the death, with basic details about the person and their death remaining unclear. The migrants were transported on several Bahamasair charter flights on Friday 3

References

  1. a b  "Swift Tactical Systems Lands $17M National Drone and Services Contract". (2020) <https://www.swifttacticalsystems.com/press/swift-tactical-systems-lands-17m-national-drone-and-services-contract/> Accessed: 2022-11-18
  2. a b c  "Minister has concerns over $17m drone system". (2021) <http://www.tribune242.com/news/2021/oct/04/minister-has-concerns-over-17m-drone-system/> Accessed: 2022-11-18
  3. ^  "$17m drone deal takes crime fight to the sky". (2019) <http://www.tribune242.com/news/2019/dec/17/17m-drone-deal-takes-crime-fight-sky/> Accessed: 2022-11-18

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