DHS contracts for aircraft retrofit

MINNEAPOLIS, July 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Alliant Techsystems a follow-on contract to support the retrofit of three additional aircraft.

Under the deal, Minneapolis-based ATK will retrofit three Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft with the company's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies.

Officials say the ATK retrofitting will enable enhanced monitoring of drug trafficking and illegal immigration along U.S. borders. The ATK technology will also provide additional search-and-rescue capabilities.

"We are pleased to support the vital work the Department of Homeland Security performs to protect the nation's borders," Bill Kasting, ATK Integrated Systems division vice president, said in a statement.

"The technology ATK developed for border patrol missions is attracting significant interest from international customers who are looking for affordable and very effective ways to introduce ISR into their own border security challenges."