BREMEN, Germany, May 16 (UPI) -- The Bulgarian border police have taken delivery of a coastal surveillance system from Atlas Elektronik of Germany.
The system, to which existing radar sites were integrated, includes surface radar, signal processing, multi-sensor tracking -- including AIS and CCTV tracking -- communications, and system management.
The contract from Bulgaria was awarded to a consortium consisting of Atlas Elektronik, Tcherno More and Optix in January of last year.
Designed and built to ensure the integrity of the Bulgarian "blue border" and territorial waters, the system automatically detects and identifies targets in the authority of the Bulgarian border police.
Bulgaria's coastal border system is based on 12 remote sites, equipped with radar, AIS transponders, daylight and infrared cameras and weather stations; two mobile ground units and 12 Border Police Boats, including surveillance and communication components.
With the system in place, Bulgaria has met its commitments to the European Union's Schengen Agreement, which eliminates border controls among a number of countries.
"The main goal of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the process of accessing the Schengen area, is to ensure the technical provision of the security of the outer borders of the country in the aspiration for creation a stable and reliable system to safeguard of the outer borders of the European Union," said Kircho Kirov, deputy director of the Chief Directorate of Border Police, Ministry of Interior.
