Leidos-deployed NEC Tech Enables Biometric Access at US Army Outpost

In an update to a story published earlier this week, it has now been revealed that Japanese tech giant NEC Corporation and its prime partner Leidos are responsible for the implementation of a new facial recognition system for the United States Army at Redstone Arsenal Army outpost in Alabama.

The system began this week, accessible to the more than 44,000 workers that use the facility, as a pilot project at Redstone. It allows the drivers of single-occupancy vehicles to forego a manual ID stop and instead have their identity authenticated using facial recognition when approaching the gates of the secure facility.

The new system is open to users with a Defense Common Access Card and who pre-register and have a copy of their biometric face data stored in the Defense Manpower Data Center database.

Authentication via the new solution works by having the user approach the specified gates at a speed of between three to five miles per hour and with no less than two car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. Upon successful authentication, a green light will allow them entry into the facility without ever needing to stop the vehicle.

“The speed and reliability of facial recognition that NEC is known for comes from their ability to combine both real-time identification with verification and situation analysis resulting in faster decision making, preemptive security, and smoother delivery of services,” reads a statement announcing the partnership.

The Redstone base houses some of the Army’s most sensitive information from various departments including the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and NASA.

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March 17, 2021 – by Tony Bitzionis