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Integrated System for the Security of the Romanian State Border
Michael Meissner, Vice President Communications, EADS Deutschland GmbH, Defence and Communications Systems, talks about the EADS contract to provide an integrated system for the security of the Romanian State Border...
MoAI and EADS continue their co-operation to develop and implement an Integrated System for the Security of the Romanian State Border.
Essentially this provides for the procurement, installation and integration of effective surveillance systems, for the achievement of modern command and control centres, for the endowment of over 180 operational premises and training centres of the Romanian Border Police. As a prerequisite for the integrated approach, the project also provides for the extension and development of the IT and communication infrastructure necessary for the co-operation among all institutions with competence at the border.
The efficient and systematic control as well as the permanent surveillance of the 3147 km length border, especially of the sectors that will represent the external borders of the European Union, represents major priorities for Romania, being handled with maximum seriousness and responsibility by the Romanian authorities.
The EADS contract covers the provision of surveillance systems (e.g. infrared cameras and other sensors), command and control facilities, including all the necessary hardware and software, a communications and IT infrastructure plus construction work aimed at improving the working conditions of the Romanian border police.
Certain overlaps between the actions financed through Phare programmes and those stipulated under the EADS contract, also pointed out by the European Commission, have been identified, and through intense consultations, together with EADS, a set of measures aimed at completely suppressing them was defined. The above-mentioned set of measures also includes the acceptance of the use of Tetra standard technology for the whole mobile communications system of the Integrated Border Security System.
The Technical System Description will serve as the baseline for the procurement and implementation of the individual parts of the overall system, which is currently to be built by 2009. In an initial project phase, all the measures that are necessary for Romania to join the EU, as planned, on 1 January 2007, will be implemented.
EADS will continue to act as the prime contractor and overall integrator of the system. In addition, EADS is responsible for technical integration of the systems into platforms such as helicopters, ships and border patrol vehicles.
Michael Meissner, vice president communications, EADS Deutschland GmbH, Defence and Communications Systems answers the following questions:
When and where was the contract with the Romanian Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs signed, and when is the rollout of the system due to commence?
The contract was signed before Gerhard Schroder at the Romanian Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs in Bucharest on the 12th of August 2004. With the contracts agreed the system roll out will commence November 2004.
Under the terms of this contract, what Tetrapol network infrastructure and terminals are to be delivered? Can you give any indication as to the number of base stations, switching centres, command and control consoles, plus any other equipment that is to be delivered? *Please include model names & numbers where appropriate, together with any system specifications and features if available.
The Romanian authorities already operate a radio communications network with nation-wide coverage called Pheonix, a tetrapol network that is shared by security and civil forces. The main goals of the Pheonix project operating with TETRAPOL in the European 380-400 MHz frequency band were:
Wide area trunking system (national coverage, effective spectrum usage and a large subscribership).
End-to-end communication privacy, with a high level of encryption, a transparent encryption / key management, a secure path of internal signalling and intrusion detection
Easy co-operation for critical events (multi-user capability and over the air1 configurability)
High reliability and availability (fault tolerant equipment, alternate call processing routes)
Voice and data integration
Unfortunately due to the fact that the contents of the most recent border control contract are directly related to Romanian security measures EADS is not in the position to provide specific details.
What other equipment is EADS delivering?
EADS will be delivering as part of this contract an Information and Communication System, a Coastal Surveillance System, equipment for checkpoints and the required infrastructure.
Will this project be completed in phases? If so, can you give an indication of how many there will be, briefly what each will entail, and timescales?
There will be three phases of the roll out as follows:
1. Implementation at EU-Outer Borders (2004 - 2007)
2. Implementation at EU Outer Borders (2006 -2008)
3. Final Implementation (2009)
What are the key requirements of new EU members in the area of homeland security and border surveillance?
As it is now part of the EU institutional and legal framework and countries applying to join the EU have to fulfil its requirements, the demands made of new EU members with regards to border surveillance is to meet the set of rules adopted under the Schengen Convention and subsequent decisions and declarations adopted by the Schengen bodies.
Amongst the key rules adopted by Schengen group members are:
removal of checks on persons at common EU internal borders;
common set of rules applying to people crossing EU external frontiers, regardless of the EU country in which that external frontier is situated;
separation at air terminals and, where possible, at seaports of people travelling within the Schengen area from those arriving from countries outside the Schengen area;
harmonisation of the rules regarding conditions of entry and visas for short stays;
co-ordination between administrations on surveillance of borders (liaison officers, harmonisation of instructions and staff training);
definition of the role of carriers in the fight against illegal immigration;
enhanced police co-operation (including the rights of cross-border surveillance and hot pursuit);
strengthening of judicial co-operation through a faster extradition system and transfer of the enforcement of criminal judgements;
creation of the Schengen information system (SIS).
The key requirement from a secured communication system is that it is linked to the Schengen Information system. The Schengen information system (SIS) was set up to allow police forces and consular agents from the Schengen countries to access data on specific individuals (i.e. criminals wanted for arrest or extradition, missing persons, third-country nationals to be refused entry) and on goods which have been lost or stolen. This data is supplied by the Member States via national sections (N-SIS) that are connected to a central technical function (C-SIS).
With relation to persons, this may include data on:
those wanted for arrest for extradition purposes;
aliens for whom an alert has been issued for the purposes of refusing entry;
missing persons or on persons needing temporary police protection (minors, in particular);
witnesses and persons summoned to appear before judicial authorities;
persons to be submitted to discreet surveillance or specific checks for the purposes of prosecuting criminal offences or for the prevention of threats to public security.
The SIS is supplemented by a network known as Sirene (supplementary information request at the national entry) Phase II, which allows communication between the Sirene offices in every Schengen State. Sisnet, which has replaced Sirene phase II is used to communicate between C-SIS and N-SIS
