Predator drones to patrol entire US-Mexico border

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 8/30/10 | AFP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States beginning Wednesday will add a third Predator drone to patrol its border with Mexico, allowing authorities for the first time to monitor the entire stretch of land separating the two neighbors using the unmanned aircraft.

The latest drone joins two others in covering the 2,000-mile (3,200 kilometer) frontier which runs across the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, the US Department of Homeland Security said.

With immigration a hot-button issue ahead of looming midterm elections in November, US President Barack Obama earlier this month signed a 600 million dollar bill aimed at reinforcing border security.

His administration is seeking to step up security as it presses for a comprehensive immigration reform measure that likely would allow many of the millions of illegal migrants in the United States to legalize their status.

Many Republican lawmakers say no immigration measure can be considered unless the federal government can ensure security along the southern US border to prevent a spillover from Mexico's crime-ridden north and to prevent the arrival of more undocumented migrants.

[DoughtyOne]

Yep, we don’t know what is going on at the border, but we’re soon to find out. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Good grief.

There are signs 70 miles inside Arizona telling U. S. Citizens to stay out, but drones will fix everything.

I’m going to sleep well tonight...

[Pan_Yan]

(actual size)

[DannyTN]

“actionable intelligence” still has to acted on.

Exactly. Plus that border is just under 2000 miles long and we only have 3 drones.

I read somewhere that a predator has a range of sight of 150 miles. Not certain at all about that.

So we need 13 in the air at all times to keep the entire border surveyed.

I think they should have 26 for the land border. Plus any additional support they need to give the coast guard. At $4.5 million each. That's $117 million. They allocated $3 billion for the border fence.

[fso301]

Yes but who will they be monitoring?

[Jewels1091]

they will only work if they have a pay load on them..

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Can they hang those “Gatling Guns” on them?

[dadgum]

BINGO!

[BillT]

Let's see that is three 3 drones to cover 2000-mile (3200 kilometer) frontier border. Yeah, that is going to work each drone has 666.67 miles to cover, assume no overlap. They will see everything from space!

[Mad Dawgg]

if I were POTUS I would write and executive order that would state anyone Identified as a drug mule crossing the border would be declared the same threat to national security as would an Al Qeda member and I would order the Drones to be armed and target ted the same way we use them overseas.

A few viral videos of drones in action on the borders would do wonders for reducing the numbers of illegal crossings. (I would even put up big drive-in size screens showing videos of the drones in action on the most used crossing points!)

[strongbow]

When did we have Warthogs in Alaska?

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[Texas resident]

Big deal. The feds fly toys and yet the murders and kidnappings continue. There are narcogangs occupying US soil in Arizona and these goofs go fly a kite. Just a show.

[wjcsux]

Big deal. The feds fly toys and yet the murders and kidnappings continue. There are narcogangs occupying US soil in Arizona and these goofs go fly a kite. Just a show.
WE HAVE A WINNER! Show him what he won, Alex!

[Liberty Valance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o40_MzuKIGA&feature=related
Treetop Flyer

[USNBandit]

"Predator drones to patrol entire US-Mexico border "

That statement is incorrect. Not enough drones to do that and the FAA has limited the size of the tracks they fly on.

[CodeToad]

...to ensure to American interferes with an entering illegal alien. That isn’t sarcasm. I suspect it is the truth.

[CodeToad]

“...to ensure to American interferes “

I meant, “...to ensure to NO American interferes “

[Fundamentally Fair]

The latest drone joins two others in covering the 2,000-mile (3,200 kilometer) frontier which runs across the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, the US Department of Homeland Security said.

Arizona is on the border with Mexico? That's news to me. </Peggy West>