Kristen Smith 
General Dynamics Information Technology has secured certification from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for its autonomous surveillance towers, clearing the systems for broader deployment in support of border security missions.
GDIT said Wednesday CBP confirmed its towers meet federal requirements for funding and deployment under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, noting that the certification validates the system’s ability to autonomously detect, identify and track objects of interest accurately in real time.
The milestone stems from GDIT securing a position on a potential 14-year, $1.8 billion contract in 2024 to support CBP’s modernization of its surveillance tower system.
What Capabilities Do the Surveillance Towers Deliver?
The towers, designed to operate with limited human intervention, integrate multiple communications technologies, including microwave, 5G and satellite links, and edge-based artificial intelligence, machine learning and proprietary video analytics to monitor large and remote areas and deliver real-time situational awareness. By autonomously prioritizing alerts and filtering data, the system reduces operator workload and enables border patrol agents to focus on higher-priority field operations.
The surveillance towers are designed for rapid deployment and scalability and are engineered to be adaptable, with future-proof integration capabilities such as counter-unmanned aircraft systems functions.
How Does This Support CBP’s Surveillance Strategy?
The certified towers are part of CBP’s Consolidated Tower and Surveillance Equipment, or CTSE, program, the agency’s primary effort to modernize border monitoring infrastructure.
Through this program, CBP is expanding the use of fixed and relocatable towers equipped with sensors, communications systems and analytics tools to improve detection and tracking across the U.S. border.
GDIT has played a key role in securing the U.S. borders for more than a decade. In 2023, the company secured a position on a potential $1.8 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to support the Integrated Surveillance Towers program. It also deployed more than 200 surveillance tower sites under the Remote Video Surveillance System Upgrade program.
