Jamaica’s Defence Force acquires a coastal surveillance system including the Gecko system and the Coast Watcher 100 radar.

The ambition of the Jamaican authorities is to counteract the threat of piracy and smuggling operations in difficult environments (high seas, rain, etc.) as well as low-altitude aerial threats.

Seeking to tackle and significantly reduce smuggling and other illegal activities in Jamaica, the government is implementing a far-reaching programme, the Maritime Domain Awareness Capability Initiative, aimed at reducing the spread of maritime threats. A key component of this initiative is the deployment of a national coastal surveillance system operated by Jamaica’s Defence Force to monitor activity from Jamaica’s coasts. To fulfil this important ambition, Jamaica is relying on  Thales’ coastal surveillance system equipped with the Gecko Electro-optical sensor.

Gecko is a user friendly tool that provides users with significant reconnaissance capabilities, in both day   and night operations, even in adverse weather conditions and low visibility. Among its most relevant functionalities are surveillance, identification and monitoring.

Initially developed for use whilst in motion (at over 40 km/h) and for deployment on extendible masts of up to 6 metres, the optronic and sensor head can be easily affixed to static posts for border surveillance, thus enjoys widespread deployment across the Mediterranean coast . This is why at the beginning of 2019, security forces across Northern and Eastern Europe conducted trials, monitoring boats suspected of smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal fishing.

 This project confirms the strategic association established between Thales and the Jamaican government, which has already put its trust in Thales to secure its aerial space with the Thales Air Traffic Control Centres and Radars as well as to guarantee its terrestrial security with Bushmaster vehicles.