AEDC receives $2million for new security system

  • Published
  • By Deidre Ortiz
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN --  The Air Force Electronic Systems Center (ESC) at Hascom Air Force Base recently provided Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) with nearly $2 million in funding for a new standardized alarm system.

Installation of the new security infrastructure is currently taking place.

Dan Hawkins, Arnold Police's operations officer, stated AEDC was chosen as the recipient for the funding when the ESC sent out its annual request to identify bases with non-standardized alarm systems.

"The Air Force has three approved standardized alarm systems," he said. "When ESC sent out the request in 2012, Arnold Air Force Base was one of the bases remaining within Air Force Material Command (AFMC) that did not have one of these systems. ESC eventually funded a project of nearly $2 million to replace the alarm system on Arnold AFB."

Tyco was awarded the contract to install the approved Vindicator system and work on the project officially began in late 2013.

Hawkins explained that conversion to a standardized system will help in consolidating Air Force maintenance contracts and eventually cut costs significantly.

"In addition to the potential to fall under a larger maintenance contract umbrella, the systems being replaced will offer greater security and ease of use," he said. "The previous automated entry system had reached its end of life cycle and there were several software and hardware issues that were taking their toll on the system and inconveniencing customers who needed base credentials."

No firm timeline has been established for the issue of the badges or activation of the new system. However, it's anticipated the conversion to the new automated entry hardware, along with the other security systems, will be completed by the end of the year.