The US Navy has awarded a contract to technology company Intellicheck Mobilisa for its floating area network (FAN) and littoral Sensor Grid wireless security buoy technology.

The wireless security buoys include sensors for both environmental and homeland security purposes, including water quality, oil spill detection and dirty bomb detection. The buoys will provide real-time monitoring of marine environments.

Under the $4.5m contract, the company will increase the number of buoys deployed and will develop additional security monitoring tools.

Intellicheck Mobilisa chief executive officer Nelson Ludlow said the wireless security buoys project has been recognised by the Department of Defense (DoD) as a vital source for waterway and port security and environmental monitoring.

Pilot testing on the multipurpose security buoy platform, developed in collaboration with the US DoD and the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab, began in 2008.