[Spiff]

Here's another example of military equipment that is being used right now to monitor the border for intruding drug smuggler airplanes that could be adapted for additional border monitoring missions. Imagine - the military is already monitoring the border with high tech equipment acting as a force multiplier. Now they just need to use this to monitor foot traffic.

Tethered Aerostat Radar System

More pictures here.

We already have one of these flying over the mountains south of Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca day and night. It has been rumored that the radar on this is so sensitive that they CAN see foot traffic on the border. However, for whatever reasons, they aren't looking at it but only for airplanes. The addition of an optical system and night vision equipment onto this platform would make it even more useful for monitoring border intrusions.

[Poohbah]

We already have one of these flying over the mountains south of Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca day and night.

Unless, of course, there's a thunderstorm. Or something's broken. Or there just isn't enough money to operate the damn thing.

I've made frequent visits to friends in Sierra Vista since 1997, and I've seen the thing operational TWICE. Hell, it's grounded in one of the pictures you posted.

It has been rumored that the radar on this is so sensitive that they CAN see foot traffic on the border.

Great. You propose making border policy based on vague rumors that are complete BS.

However, for whatever reasons, they aren't looking at it but only for airplanes.

Because that's what the radar is optimized to detect, unless you pass a law requiring all illegal aliens to wear radar corner reflectors on their person.

The addition of an optical system and night vision equipment onto this platform would make it even more useful for monitoring border intrusions.

Let me know when they develop an x-ray vision capability that lets them see objects not in line of sight.

Of course, we could just pass a law that requires the illegals to remain within LOS of the aerostat...maybe that can be the second clause of the corner-reflector law.

Like I said, force multipliers work--to a point. If your goal is to kill large numbers of illegal aliens, they'd work really well. And when John Q. Public, while eating his morning breakfast, sees a steady parade of men, women, and children who got partially shredded by DPICM, the program will get terminated.

If you wish to apprehend, detain, and deport...you're still going to need bodies. Lots of bodies. Force multipliers will be some help, but you're still going to need people to apprehend the illegals.

Once the decision is made to cross the border illegally, we're playing catch-up.