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| Entire US-Mexico border to be guarded by Predator drones |
| 2010-08-31 |
| The entire 2,000-mile US-Mexico border will be monitored by drones starting Wednesday when a new Predator drone begins flying from Corpus Christi, Texas, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. There are already three drones operating along portions of the border. Aside from the new drone launched today, money for two more was included in $600 million legislation President Barack Obama signed earlier this month, which ramps up border security ahead of midterm elections on Nov. 2 and as MexicoÂ’s heated drug war gains more attention. Meanwhile, Napolitano calls the border safer than ever. "With the deployment of the Predator in Texas, we will now be able to cover the southwest border from the El Centro sector in California all the way to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, providing critical aerial surveillance assistance to personnel on the ground," Napolitano said during a conference call, according to Reuters. "This is yet another critical step we have taken in ensuring the safety of the border and is an important tool in our security toolbox," she said. Previously, the drones had covered only California to the west Texas portion of the border, according to the Associated Press. By the beginning of next year, six should be operating along the border, covering California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The Predator B drones that are being deployed have night-vision cameras and can stay in flight for 30 hours, detecting drug and human smuggling, Reuters added. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #14 Hey Frank G - I was a Copper out there for many years. In the early 80's when I was a rookie, if you took some dirt roads south off SR-94, after a couple miles you would come across a 2 foot tall concrete marker. It said "Mexico" on the north side and "USA" on the south of it. That was all the warning you got out there. The dirt road just continued on south. I'd make a U-turn and get the hell back north. |
| Posted by: retired LEO 2010-08-31 23:52 |
| #13 We are not firing Hellfire missiles at populous areas of the US-Mexican border. If all you are looking for is recon there are, as rwv pointed out, cheaper alternatives to the Predator. |
| Posted by: Mike Ramsey 2010-08-31 23:21 |
| #12 Meanwhile somewhere at Homeland Security HQ: "There goes some ..." Quick, send ACORN to get them registered to vote! |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-08-31 22:58 |
| #11 The Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) fly MQ-9 Reapers, not MQ-1 Predators. There may be some confusion because General Atomics still calls them Predator B. The CBP bought them without weapons capability although it could be installed relatively quickly. The Texas Air Guard is getting MQ-1B Predators, but they fly overseas, not on the Texas border. |
| Posted by: rwv 2010-08-31 21:15 |
| #10 I've been called worse...by close family. A mulligan for TW |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-08-31 20:10 |
| #9 It's almost 9/11, Frsnk. Sorry, Frank. So much for my vaunted touch-typing superpower. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-08-31 20:01 |
| #8 but they were out in force today It's almost 9/11, Frsnk. Everyone is on alert, even civilians. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-08-31 19:59 |
| #7 I was out in Dulzura, San Diego east county today, looking for the site for a replacement bridge supporting the reservoir flume from Barrett Lake to Otay Lake. Apparently my F-150 (drink up!) looked unfamiliar on the flume dirt roads. Three Border Patrol contacts in an hour. All nice, friendly, and polite. Of course, I had ID and construction plans with me....but they were out in force today |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-08-31 18:41 |
| #6 Watch our feckless leadership award the Predator monitoring and analytics contract to a California based, disadvantaged, minority contractor. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-08-31 18:19 |
| #5 Entire US-Mexico border to be monitored by Predator drones Meanwhile somewhere at Homeland Security HQ: "There goes some ..." "There goes some more ..." "Another 10 crossing the border ..." "Yep" "Eight more ..." "Yep" |
| Posted by: DMFD 2010-08-31 18:12 |
| #4 Well, if the predators fire Hellfires at people crossing the border, it works for me. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2010-08-31 14:59 |
| #3 Entire US-Mexico border to be monitored by Predator drones |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-08-31 13:51 |
| #2 Drones do not matter when you aren't going to do anything to the people they spot. You need a barrier system to make it so difficult that most people stop trying, border observation and enforcement to gather up those that do persist and repatriate them to the far SOUTH of Mexico, and internal enforcement to make employment of illegals costly enough to where the jobs dry up. Nothing else will be effective. |
| Posted by: No I am The Other Beldar 2010-08-31 13:50 |
| #1 All SIX of them? Gee whiz, etc. |
| Posted by: mojo 2010-08-31 13:41 |