The 11th Annual Homeland Security Week, presented in partnership with the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) kicked off on Wednesday, bringing together top homeland security leaders from government, industry and academia alike to take a deep dive into current challenges and future requirements necessary for numerous government agencies.
With recent threats from various terrorist organizations, radical factions and lone wolves becoming more and more sophisticated, the need to ensure that our nation’s security at home and abroad are strongly monitored at all times by a multifaceted, interagency effort, is a necessity.
Without superb intelligence, operational assets, and flawless unified communication across all stakeholders, the threat of a catastrophic outcome is an ever-increasing reality.
Some of the country’s top security experts in biometrics, intelligence, counterterrorism, border security, cybersecurity and national security gathered today in Washington, DC and AST was delighted to be on site.
Over 200 attendees, all directly or indirectly responsible for U.S. homeland security, are taking part in the annual event, which includes interactive keynote presentations, large scale panel discussions, project updates, case studies, intimate roundtables, product demonstrations towards developing a complex, joint, multilayered plan to combat the evolving challenges our country faces.
Expert Speakers
Tom Ridge, the first U.S. Homeland Security Secretary and former Pennsylvania Governor, provided a keynote speech on Wednesday, speaking to the need for continued vigilance when “dealing with uncertain threats in an uncertain time.”
Admiral Thad Allen, the 23rd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, delivered this morning’s keynote address on ‘A Unity of Effort to Keep America Safe’, followed by a fascinating, interactive dialog on ‘Identifying, Analyzing and Sharing Intelligence’, featuring Admiral Charles D. Michel, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Throughout the three-day event personnel from the U.S. Army, DHS, Office of Emergency Management, FEMA, U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be on hand, presenting a number of expert panel discussions and presentations.
Nuclear Terrorism
The main conference featured a panel discussion on “Nuclear Terrorism Impacts and Zoned Approach to Response,” with offficials from DHS, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), FEMA, and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) scheduled to participate.
Outstanding Vendors
24 industry leading vendors where in attendance to exhibit their innovative new product development achievements and exciting new technologies to address the growing homeland security threats our nation is facing.
The line up included:
- 3M
- Akamai
- algosec
- Cambium Networks
- Check Point Software Technologies Ltd
- Cleveland Electric Laboratories
- CreateLED America
- Crestron
- Deep Instinct
- Engility
- Government Acquisitions, Inc
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- IBM
- Knight Point Systems (KPS)
- Leidos
- Microsoft Project
- Northrop Grumman
- Planar
- PLW Model Works
- RELM Wireless
- SAP
- Sev1Tech
- Utility which has developed a new body-cam system for law enforcement called BodyWorn
And FLIR Systems, Inc., Four Time Winner of AST’s 2016 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards
FLIR identiFINDER R100 in AST Homeland Security Awards (Video)
