Southern border unit becomes first equipped with expeditionary surveillance system

Originally published Southern border unit becomes first equipped with expeditionary surveillance system on by https://defensescoop.com/2025/04/21/army-southern-border-operations-surveillance-system/ at DefenseScoop


Southern border unit becomes first equipped with expeditionary surveillance system | DefenseScoop

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Other units on the southern border are also anticipated to receive the G-BOSS(E).


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The 549th Military Police Company, assigned to Joint Task Force – Southern Border, conducts detection and monitoring operations at San Diego, Calif. April 10, 2025. The Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System (Expeditionary) (G-BOSS(E)) is a mobile, self-contained surveillance system developed for persistent observation and threat detection. It integrates various sensor technologies to monitor activities over extended ranges, providing continuous situational awareness. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force–Southern Border aligns efforts to seal the southern border and repel illegal activity and is responsible for full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations, which will allow for more effective and efficient DoD operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kimberly Villigran)

An Army military police battalion recently became the first unit to receive a new sensor system as part of its mission to support U.S. government security operations at the southern border.

The 716th Military Police Battalion received the Ground-Based Operational Surveillance Systems (Expeditionary) (G-BOSS(E)) Medium tower platform March 24, making it the first unit equipped with the capability.

G-BOSS(E) is an expeditionary, ground-based, self-contained, sensor for persistent surveillance that is used to observe, collect, detect, classify, identify, track, record and report on objects and threats 24 hours a day, according to the Army’s program executive office for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors. It can be integrated into the command-and-control network on the southern border to provide a network of integrated sensors, according to an Army spokesperson.

Moreover, the expeditionary nature of this variant is seen as a critical aspect for meeting operational needs.

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The capability is part of a family of persistent surveillance tower systems that were previously based on quick-reaction capabilities for forces in the field. It had consisted of two variants: a medium for small to medium-sized operating bases and a heavy for larger operating bases.

The 716th received a single G-BOSSE(E), according to an Army spokesperson, but other units on the southern border are also anticipated to receive the system.

While the 716th was slated to be the second unit to receive the technology, due to its deployment to support the border security mission it was prioritized and moved to the front of the line to be the first equipped, the spokesperson said.

U.S. Northern Command in March established Joint Task Force-Southern Border to synchronize activities of various units that have deployed to aid the Trump administration’s efforts for stemming the flow of illegal border crossings into the United States. Thousands of troops have been sent to support the mission.

Mark Pomerleau

Written by Mark Pomerleau

Mark Pomerleau is a senior reporter for DefenseScoop, covering information warfare, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations, intelligence, influence, battlefield networks and data.

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