DHS officially names Boeing SBINet contract winner

The Homeland Security Department has made it official: Boeing has won the Secure Border Initiative's SBINet contract, worth an estimated $2.5 billion.

Boeing beat Lockheed Martin, Ericsson, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to win the contract for SBINet. The program is part of a major multiyear initiative by DHS to secure U.S. borders from would-be terrorists and illegal immigrants through a combination of advanced technology and increased manpower, according to a DHS statement.

“SBINet will integrate the latest technology and infrastructure to interdict illegal immigration and stop threats attempting to cross borders,” DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said in the statement. “This strategic partnership allows the department to exploit private sector ingenuity and expertise to quickly secure our nation’s borders.”

Boeing’s winning proposal calls for installing a network of 1,800 towers along the northern and southern borders within three years. The towers will have cameras, sensors and motion detectors to locate and track intruders attempting to illegally cross into the United States.

Boeing will first deploy its solution at points along the southwestern border during the next eight months, with future task orders expanding its reach, according to DHS. The contract has a three-year base with three one-year options.