National Security

Increased Threats, Innovative Responses

Since its founding in 1969, SAIC has played a key role in helping the armed forces and intelligence agencies rapidly respond to emerging threats and prepare for future challenges. Today, SAIC’s work ranges from battlefield biometrics to cutting-edge sensing devices to electronically linking our forces for tomorrow’s conflicts.

Hundreds of high-value insurgents have been identified and captured in Iraq and Afghanistan thanks, in part, to a biometrics system developed by SAIC. An industry leader in operational biometrics, SAIC developed and supports the operation of the Biometrics Automated Toolset (BAT)—the system of choice for the defense and intelligence communities. With more than 3,500 systems deployed worldwide, BAT collects fingerprints, iris scans, facial photos and biographical information of persons of interest and stores the information in a searchable data base. In FY09, we won a contract to continue this mission-critical work that we have supported since 2003. SAIC is working to enhance the system by adding advanced voice-based speaker identification technologies that offer advantages such as “touch less” operation and the ability to collect samples covertly from a distance.

During the past year, SAIC extended its role as a significant provider of language services to the intelligence community. Complementing existing capabilities, the acquisition of SM Consulting in FY09 more than tripled our linguist cadre, which now addresses more than 40 languages and dialects. Core services include document and media exploitation, analysis, translation, and transcription.

Building and Deploying Operational Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Capabilities in Theater

SAIC’s persistent surveillance capabilities, which support the nation’s deployed military forces, are core to several missions of national importance. We provide a range of capabilities and services across multiple systems such as Predator, Global Hawk, Buckeye, and Angel Fire. For example, our Angel Fire system has helped tactical Marine units to determine insurgent tactics, techniques and procedures, capturing improvised explosive device events as they unfolded. Innovative applications demonstrated by this capability are broad, and include analyzing the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions in-theater, and supporting homeland defense, federal and state emergency response, border surveillance, and other missions that require persistent support to commanders.

Providing C5ISR Support for MRAP Vehicles

Rapidly responding to the critical needs of warfighters, SAIC supports the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Centers’ command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) programs. For example, SAIC is helping SPAWAR prototype, integrate and logistically support C5ISR for the more than 300 distinct variants of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

SAIC helped deploy more than 10,000 MRAP vehicles to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past two years by receiving the vehicles from the manufacturers and preparing the vehicles for use by the warfighter. SAIC’s Joint Logistics Integration Team provides total integrated logistics support to the MRAP Joint Program Office in the fielding and sustainment of MRAPs in the field. This includes supply chain management, asset configuration, coordination of field support, end-user training, and resolution of field maintenance and supply issues.

Mary Glaize Sr. Software Engineer

“I work on modeling and simulation programs which are used to train military personnel to perform their assigned tasks in a safe environment. We introduce factors to simulate what could possibly occur in the real world.”

Getting Tires, Critical Materials and Parts to Warfighters

Working with Michelin North America, SAIC helps to supply ground vehicle tires to the U.S. military around the globe through the Defense Supply Center in Columbus, Ohio. SAIC manages the supply, storage, and distribution functions, contributing supply chain management expertise in forecasting, inventory management, and worldwide distribution. SAIC also manages the supply chain of chemicals and packaged petroleum, oils and lubricants for the Department of Defense.

Maintaining the U.S. Global Positioning System

For the Air Force Global Positioning System Wing, SAIC is the prime contractor providing a full range of systems engineering and integration support for the current and future U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS). This involves maintaining a constellation of satellites, an intricate and complex ground infrastructure to command and control them, and thousands of fielded GPS receivers to enable military and civil customers around the globe to carry out their missions and enhance the daily lives of millions of people relying on positioning, navigation, and timing information.

Helping DARPA Save Lives

To better protect deployed troops, there is a critical need for more sensitive detection and accurate identification of chemicals and mixtures of chemicals, such as explosives and chemical weapons. For a contract awarded in FY09, SAIC is helping the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) design and develop a sensor inspired by a dog’s olfactory system, or sense of smell, to better detect explosives and chemical or biological weapons.

SAIC also is working with DARPA to develop a synergistic human/machine system to help military officers and their staffs quickly make command decisions and generate multiple options on the battlefield. The goal: enable commanders with the ability to foresee the outcomes of plans through simulation, providing the ability to adjust those plans as required.

Transitioning to the Future Combat Systems

Helping the Army transition to a lighter, smarter, more lethal force, SAIC and Boeing work together as the lead systems integrators on the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. The Army seeks to develop and then integrate dozens of new technologies in the FCS program and ultimately create a force in which people, platforms, weapons, and sensors are linked seamlessly together in a system of systems. Equipment is in the hands of soldiers with successes such as the movement of images from FCS sensors across the battlefield using the network.

Army National Guard:
Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems Support

Facing an expanding role in global deployments, the U.S. needed a more effective way to manage and mobilize Army National Guard and Reserve forces. A system was needed to support faster, more efficient mobilization and improve the quality and timeliness of information while reducing the administrative burden.

SAIC is operating, maintaining, and upgrading the Reserve Component Automation System—which supports 10,500 Army National Guard and Reserve units at approximately 4,000 sites worldwide. RCAS has helped improve mobilization by, among other things, speeding up the processing of orders and enhancing preparations for overseas deployments.

As part of this effort, SAIC also supports the Army National Guard Information Systems Division, which provides technical assistance and support for systems, application development and maintenance, web and enterprise services, data warehousing, and information assurance for the 54 states and territories of the Army National Guard. SAIC also supports the National Guard Bureau Distributive Training Technology Project, a nationwide network of digital distance learning centers designed to improve military readiness.