Northrop Grumman, Virginia-based security company, finished core capability development of the Nationwide Automatic Identification System and delivered it to the U.S. Coast Guard to start government testing.
The system provides a more comprehensive view of vessels navigating within and bound for U.S. ports and waterways. Nationwide AIS features shore-side communications, network and processing capability to ensure the effective exchange of AIS information.
The system is a two-way maritime digital communication system that logs information relating to a vessel’s identity, position, speed, course, destination, and manifest and cargo data. The information will then be combined with other government intelligence and surveillance data and shared with authorized government operators to enhance maritime situational awareness.
Pat Camacho, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman Information Systems, said the system will ultimately improve maritime visibility and awareness.
"The Coast Guard's goals for enhancing maritime domain awareness include the ability to detect and classify potential threats as early and distant from U.S. interests as possible," he said. "By monitoring the virtual network created by AIS-equipped vessels, Nationwide AIS will help decision-makers to better respond to safety and security risks."
The formal government testing includes specific scenarios and test environments to meet reliability, maintainability and availability requirements at physical and logical shore installations.
