Trackers for American staff in Pakistan

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

Highly Efficient GPS Trackers for US staff stationed in foreign countries:
The State Department is installing advanced, classified security systems in Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen to monitor staff movements in those countries where moving among local populations remains dangerous, according to department budget and contract documents obtained by Washington Post.
The Blue Force Tracker System uses a small transmitter mounted on a vehicle, an aircraft or an individual that sends continuous signals to a Global Positioning System satellite and back to a computer in a secure command post. The command post computer shows precise locations within a 10-foot radius of tracked individuals, vehicles or aircraft on ever-changing map displays.
A $15 million classified facility to hold the tracking system is being assembled on the US Embassy grounds in Islamabad. An advertisement posted in June by Olgoonik Development seeks a security specialist to work there for the Blue Force Tracker program.
The Pakistan system is “designed to maximize visualization of designated assets traveling and conducting operations in hostile or hazardous areas,” according to the advertisement. One job of the specialist is to “track and report all off-compound embassy travelers to the [State Department] regional security officer .?.?. using the BFT-ONE [Blue Force Tracker] system.”
“This critical technology provides department personnel with the confidence to travel into highly dangerous areas, knowing there is an over-watch and a reaction capability to help them at the push of a button,” according to a State Department fiscal 2012 budget document presented to Congress. About $9.4 million was being sought to support the tracking system in Iraq next year.
No State Department official would discuss the systems on the record. A department spokesman, speaking on the condition of anonymity because security issues were involved, said: “The State Department uses all available options, including technology, to ensure the safety of our personnel. For reasons of operational security, we do not comment on what technologies the department employs, nor in which countries these technologies may be used.”

 

[Kashmir Cell]

Any Difference to Pakistanis

 

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

Well , these tracker seems so much high class, directly controlled from US control rooms can not only track but can also be used for fast spying activities against Pakistan.
US agents in past and at present are not facing a real threat from Pakistani Govt , the example is the Rymond Devos case , the real nature of inducting this Tracking system is to ensure Advance ,rapid ACTION ,also a rapid rescue in case of incidental emergency for the US agents

 

[Kashmir Cell]

Has ISI got such Trackers to spy these Agents instead , mean has we got the satellites and this and that ???

 

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

No Idea , May be Someone else could answer you , add another Question , Can Pakistan distract that tracker working when needed , ( as even the Pakistani Govt trust USA not more then 50% , and we citizens not more then 5%) , .......

 

[@rrows]

Has ISI got such Trackers to spy these Agents instead , mean has we got the satellites and this and that ???

As of my knowledge ISI does not possess such BFT system, but it has developed a good communication system with its influence in the country.

 

[@rrows]

No yaar , AID money Ok , But we expect ISI for a Double game
this seems not right for a Secret agency like ISI to turn Deaf ear to every thing ,
that should be the PLAN

ISI developed a excellent humint network, which it uses for double game probably.

 

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

what is

humint network

by the way ?

 

[@rrows]

what is by the way ?

human intelligence network

 

[Chogy]

If the trackers are used to monitor U.S. personnel, then I can't see how there'd be any objection. If used to track unknowing Pakistani personnel, then an argument against them could be made.

It's not a super high-tech device. Something like it could be cobbled together by University students. You tie a GPS receiver to an encrypted transmitter, package it nicely, and have a chain of receivers to decode the position of the unit.

The great weakness of such systems is that they emit RF energy, and simple hand-held RF field strength meters can detect them.

 

[azfar]

^and when there is no check n balance by our gov what is the guarantee of it use?

 

[Chogy]

^and when there is no check n balance by our gov what is the guarantee of it use?

I don't know the answer. If one of these was stuck to a car full of TTP terrorists, and they were captured or killed, wouldn't you approve?

They are inanimate objects, tools. How they are used rests in the hands of people. I would hope that they are used to protect U.S. personnel, and importantly protect the people and assets of Pakistan vs. terrorism.

 

[Sugarcane]

I don't know the answer. If one of these was stuck to a car full of TTP terrorists, and they were captured or killed, wouldn't you approve?

They are inanimate objects, tools. How they are used rests in the hands of people. I would hope that they are used to protect U.S. personnel, and importantly protect the people and assets of Pakistan vs. terrorism.

I didn't know that you are comedian though

 

[Chogy]

I didn't know that you are comedian though

Comments like that don't help. Are we, or are we not, dedicated to destroying the terrorists that attack and kill our citizens? Yes I understand innocents have lost their lives. So have American boys who bleed out on a dusty battlefield far from their homes and loved ones. And live the rest of their lives maimed, crippled, and blind. We are in this together, despite what so many say.

Some people will say "Chogy is naive." No, I am not. There's no clean and easy way to prosecute this war.