Critical infrastructure security is becoming a growing priority across the GCC. ATERMES, a French provider of advanced surveillance and security solutions, highlighted this trend today. The company pointed to layered surveillance as a key tool in safeguarding strategic assets across the region.

The GCC continues to invest heavily in energy, transport, logistics, industrial and urban infrastructure. As a result, the ability to detect, assess and respond to threats early is becoming more important. Furthermore, the scale and spread of these assets create distinct challenges for operators.

Energy installations, airports, ports, industrial facilities and major urban developments often cover vast areas. Consequently, they require continuous monitoring across wide perimeters and sensitive zones. In addition, operators must account for evolving risks, including threats from drones and other low-altitude aerial activity.

“As critical infrastructure expands across the GCC, security teams are being asked to protect larger and more complex environments against a broader range of risks,” said Lionel Thomas, Chairman and CEO of ATERMES. “Early detection is critical, but it is only one part of the equation. Operators need the ability to bring together information from multiple sources, understand what is happening and coordinate an appropriate response quickly and effectively.”

Addressing these challenges increasingly calls for a layered approach. Rather than relying on a single sensor or detection method, operators are combining complementary technologies. For instance, electro-optical and infrared systems provide long-range visual identification along with day-and-night monitoring. Meanwhile, radar and radio-frequency detection extend awareness across the surrounding environment, including potential aerial threats.

Bringing these capabilities together through command-and-control systems gives operators a more coherent operational picture. Information from different sensors can be consolidated and assessed in context. As a result, security teams can verify potential risks, prioritise events and determine the right course of action.

Artificial intelligence adds a further layer of support. By analysing large volumes of sensor data, AI can identify anomalies and draw operators’ attention to events that need closer assessment. Importantly, AI-assisted capabilities are not meant to replace human judgement. Instead, they help security personnel manage increasingly complex information environments and focus their attention where it matters most.

For critical infrastructure, this layered model also extends into the response phase. Depending on the operational environment and requirements, response options can include interceptor drones. These give operators additional tools to address certain aerial threats as part of a broader protection framework.

This approach is particularly relevant to the Gulf. Security technologies here often operate across large or remote sites, and under demanding conditions such as high temperatures, dust, haze, darkness and changing visibility. Therefore, combining different detection methods helps maintain situational awareness even when a single technology’s effectiveness is reduced by environmental or operational factors.

“The objective is not to add more individual technologies, but to make different capabilities work together as one coordinated system,” Thomas added. “By integrating electro-optical and infrared surveillance, radar, RF detection, AI and command-and-control capabilities, security teams can build a more complete picture of their environment, from initial detection through assessment and response. This layered approach is becoming increasingly relevant as GCC operators look to strengthen the resilience of strategic assets against evolving security challenges.”

Beyond technology, regional cooperation is seen as essential to building sustainable security capabilities. In this regard, the company is focused on developing long-term partnerships. It is also exploring opportunities for industrial cooperation and localisation, which can support the growth of local expertise across the region. Ultimately, these efforts reflect a broader shift toward stronger critical infrastructure security across the GCC, as operators work to stay ahead of an evolving threat landscape.

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