AILCS-a high performance, cost effective alternative for short perimeter security applications

A description is given of the area-illuminated leaky cable sensor (AILCS), a novel application of ported coaxial cable technology applied to the problem of securing a group of high-value resources. A remote antenna detects the VHF electromagnetic energy scattered as an intruder crosses over a ported coaxial cable loop, one of which is deployed around each secured resource. An innovative Hadamard code multiplexing scheme enables the AILCS receiver to identify the specific cable loop when the intrusion occurs. The AILCS sensor provides a significant cost saving over current sensors, including short-perimeter coaxial cable sensors which require two cable loops and a separate receiver for each resource. The new configuration is less sensitive to variations or transitions in burial media and provides enhanced detection of elevated intruders. These performance features, along with an excellent probability of detection and low false/nuisance alarm rate, were recently demonstrated with an AILCS proof-of-concept system installed around parked aircraft at an operational base