Raytheon to install chemical sensors in the Port of Providence, RI

Port of Providence

Raytheon Company has received a contract from the city of Providence, RI, to strengthen surveillance in its port by integrating chemical-detection sensors into the existing security system.

Working with emergency management and environmental agencies -- and using cameras and sensors provided by Smith's Detection -- Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), based in Tewksbury, MA, will install equipment and integrate immediate warning capabilities to alert and protect communities from accidental and intentional chemical hazards.

"This detection equipment will improve situational awareness by providing keen insight to critical threats in the Port of Providence," said Karen Kalil Brown, vice president for national and theater security programs for Raytheon IDS. "The work is part of a Rhode Island initiative called RICOP (Rhode Island Common Operating Picture), which enables decision-makers to evaluate, deter and respond to threats more efficiently."

A network of sensors from the southern entrance of Narragansett Bay to the Port of Providence 25 miles north feeds information into the Providence Emergency Management Agency's Operations Center, using Raytheon technology called Athena as the common operating picture platform. The Athena technology integrates information from radars and cameras, providing authorities with a picture of events as they are happening. The new sensors will be integrated into this system.

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, MA, Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.