MILIPOL Paris Exhibition – HLS Market Trends

MILIPOL Paris Exhibition – HLS Market Trends

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By Or Shalom, HLS expert

MILIPOL exhibition, held in Paris from October 19 to October 22, 2021, under the auspices of the French Ministry of the Interior and several sponsor companies, showcased, as always, a wide range of technologies, defense solutions, security missions, combat systems and equipment, rescue systems, technological and physical protection, and cyber solutions. Still, several intriguing trends could be identified, both influenced by the industry and influencing the industry.

Cyber trends and response to technological threats

A large number of systems relating to network-based intelligence and investigation platforms were showcased in the cyber field. These were designed to detect suspects and terrorists for law enforcement in border checkpoints, etc. The systems correlate several network sources in order to detect anomalies, they integrate the gathering of information from various sources with meta-data analysis capabilities and the extraction of additional information. These capabilities mainly allow for a retrospective look at the sequence of events, connections between entities, activities on social networks, information on financial transactions, such as the purchase of unusual flight tickets, travel patterns, Internet surfing activities, and the like.

The information analysis can provide insights regarding the sequence of events, as well as information about IP, phone numbers, an allusion to other dominant and identifying factors. The deployment and integration of AI tools can, of course, contribute to a more effective analysis of information gathered.

Analytics and detection trends:

The current use of security cameras requires advanced analytics to enable detection, identification, and online alert. The exhibition showcased existing market capabilities for camera-based analytics, which warns of the drawing of weapons for the purpose of firings, such as vandalism behaviors and the like. 

In 2016 there was an explosion in a plane, which took off from the airport in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Security footage showed two workers in the inner part of the airport handing over the trapped laptop, which eventually led to the explosion, to the terrorist Abdullah ‘Abd a-Salam Burla.  

This is a classical example of a possible camera analytics setting that relates objects to an entity, the handing over of objects to an entity, or the handing over of objects between two entities in sterile perimeters, which could have prevented such an internal airport threat.

Another interesting trend reflects the improvement of tools and technological capabilities designed for tactical units, such as tactical radars that can see through walls. There have been quite a few improvements in these systems, including the ability to skip frequencies and also overcome environmental barriers and thick walls, which impair image quality and analysis. Of course, acquiring such a system requires familiarity with local regulations regarding the use and monitoring of frequencies, environmental analysis in order to find and characterize the solution specific to the area and conditions (such as prisons and the ability to get a suitable system).

Drone and UAV trends:

The threat of drone and unmanned aerial vehicles regarding critical infrastructures and crowded spaces has accelerated anti-drone demand and solutions. This market requires advanced solutions due to the growing number of security incidents, e.g. the attacks on Aramco, attacks on maritime vessels, the use of drones for intelligence gathering regarding infrastructures and secure installations, smuggling, the disruption of airport operations, etc.

In this regard, the exhibition included technological systems and dedicated kinetic systems against drone and UAV threats. The wide variety of products and the technological or kinetic range enable the characterization of responses in accordance with the complexity and level of threat, environmental conditions, technological and security limitations (e.g. in urban areas), possible technological blocking at the specific area, the force’s skills, etc.

The need for drones and UAVs has been further accelerated for homeland security needs and critical infrastructure protection and security missions. This market is characterized by the demand for autonomous capabilities, redundancy in orientation navigation (without GPS), and PNT resilience to advanced jamming capabilities. Redundancy capability in technological orientation forms a demand also for ground-based robotic systems, primarily for military missions. Recently, a military research lab at the University of Central Florida awarded a $ 4.5 million grant to develop a smart, computer vision-based navigation system as part of redundancy as a response to the malfunction of GPS systems.

The Israeli companies participating at MILIPOL showcased a wide range of advanced technologies and capabilities, creating intriguing buzz and attracting audiences and widespread media coverage. The variety of solutions responding to the various needs and threats in the HLS market, from physical protection to advanced cyber, has undoubtedly contributed to the attraction of these technologies.

Or Shalom – Security and cyber expert and consultant to government ministries and defense industries, international business development consultant for companies in the fields of HLS and cyber and leads centers of excellence and advanced training programs in Cyber and HLS for various organizations in the civilian, security, industry, and academic sectors. He holds a master’s degree, as well as civil and national qualifications in the realm of HLS and Cyber Security. He has experience in security, innovation, planning, and characterization of technological security systems, HLS, and Cyber preparedness.

Sources include www.ucf.edu/news.