New locks that comprise an electronic cable and special fastener send messages to army control points every time they are opened. Any unauthorized attempt at taking weapons will activate the fast-response military unit.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have started to use special electronic locks to secure its armories and ammunition bunkers across its army bases. In March 2004, 300 such locks were installed allowing the local army operations center to ‘keep a constant eye’ on its armory.
The locks were used to stop the increasing theft of IDF weapons and ammunition in recent years.
The new locks comprise an electronic cable that is threaded through rifle sights and locked into a special electro-mechanical fastener. This fastener is actually a miniature communications unit that transmits constant ‘active’ signals to the local operations center and to beepers of responsible personnel.
The lock transmits a signal whenever somebody opens it to remove a weapon, or when the cable is cut during theft. Should the lock be opened at an irregular time, the fast-response unit will also be alerted to the armory.
The armorer receives a small remote control. By pressing a button, he digitally ‘signs’ for each weapon at the end of the day. Later he can check whether any weapons were removed without his permission.
“The weapon sends a signal to the lock, activating a light on the remote control. If it is green, nobody interfered with the weapon since the armorer signed for it. A red light indicates unauthorized handling of the weapon (even in its rack).” explains Eli Zaguri from Motorola, responsible for cooperation with Hi-G-Tek on the IDF project.
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