A US manufacturer of security and inspection systems. It provides these systems to US border checkpoints and to Israeli military checkpoints in the occupied Palestinian territory.
OSI Systems, Inc. is a technology company headquartered in Hawthorne, California that designs, manufactures, and sells specialized electronic systems for the military, security, and healthcare industries. In 2022, the company generated $1.18 billion in revenue, 56% of which derived from its Security Division. This division manufactures body and vehicle scanners for airports, border crossings, and other facilities through two wholly owned subsidiaries, American Science and Engineering (AS&E) and Rapiscan Systems.
OSI Systems' primary clients are in the United States and accounted for just under 50% of the company's 2022 revenue. From 2004 to 2022, the company was awarded thousands of contracts, worth a total of $2.2 billion, with the U.S. federal government. 82% of these contracts were from the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The company also has major clients in the U.K., which accounted for 23% of its 2022 revenue, and sells equipment to Mexico's military.
US–Mexico Border
From 2004 to August 2022, OSI Systems and its subsidiaries, namely AS&E and Rapiscan, were awarded contracts worth $845 million by DHS agencies Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). AS&E provides CBP with vehicle and cargo scanners, as well as related maintenance and support services, and has received a total of $489 million in contracts.
In 2021, CBP awarded OSI subsidiary Rapiscan, as well as Leidos and Smiths Group, contracts to provide the agency with "Multi-Energy Portal" X-ray systems to inspect vehicles at the U.S.–Mexico border. The contracts also include equipment maintenance for 10 years and are worth a potential $480 million. CBP planned to purchase 17 such systems between 2016 and 2020 as part of its "Large Scale Non-Intrusive Inspection" program. Rapiscan has been providing CBP with Large Scale Non-Intrusive Inspection equipment since 2005, including drive-through portals and rail inspection systems.
Also in 2021, CBP awarded OSI subsidiary AS&E two contracts for providing the agency with scanners and Z-Portal training (part of a larger contract), worth a potential $4.8 million and $66.2 million, respectively. Z-Portals are capable of scanning people's bodies even while they remain inside of their vehicles.
CBP's Non-Intrusive Inspection program includes scanning everything at U.S. borders and ports of entry, including people, vehicles, luggage, and packages, in order to detect contraband and "inadmissible persons." A 2021 federal law requires that every truck, vehicle, and freight train that crosses into the U.S. from Mexico or Canada be scanned and inspected with X-ray or similar technology.
Military Checkpoints in Palestine
Israel has installed OSI scanners in several of its illegal military checkpoints in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. According to Who Profits, as of 2020, Rapiscan scanning machines and full body scanners are installed at three military checkpoints in the occupied West Bank, as well as at the entrance to the Western Wall area in occupied East Jerusalem. This equipment is provided through OSI's exclusive representative in Israel, G1 Secure Solutions (formerly G4S Israel).
In addition, since 2016, Rapiscan metal detectors have been installed at 10 offices operated by the District Coordination and Liaison Offices (DCO), a unit of the Israeli Ministry of Defense that administers the civilian aspects of the military occupation of the West Bank, such as issuing travel permits to Palestinians.
OSI Systems scanners have also been installed in Israeli prisons, airports, courthouses, and other government facilities.