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Middle East Border Security Assessment

Arab Spring and Growing Transnational Threats to Drive Investment in Technological Solutions

Date: Issue 36 - November 2012

Transition of the Border Security: Technology Drives Homeland Security

"A Perfect Border", has been the dream of every governmental agency and homeland security expert for decades. Government and law enforcement authorities require comprehensive situational awareness of their border and coastal areas knowing that coastal andborder security poses an immediate threat to the mainland of countries, critical national infrastructure, and the population.No need to travel back in the further past, most of the countries were relying on fences, barbed wires, watchtowers, small coast guard boats, hologram stickers, and embossed stamps. Traditionally this has been done through border guards and patrol boats. However, this labour-intensive approach allows large blind spots and areas without protection. It is no secret that today’s homeland security solutions are demanding more technology.Advanced biometric technologies, face recognition, retina scanning, unmanned platforms, real time information providing C2ISR systems, "smart" border gate scanning devices, fast speed boats, these are not only subjects to James Bond or Jason Bourne movies but crucial elements to establish (maybe not a "perfect" but an "efficient" and integrated) border management.