Fort is site for border UAV test (Feds learning from the ABP? Maybe...)

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 10/8/03 | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

FORT HUACHUCA -- The sky over this Southern Arizona Army post will be the test area for unmanned aerial vehicles that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is looking at to provide border security.

"We are looking at several different types, a broad range of UAVs," said Dennis Murphy, a spokesman for the department.

A team is on the post preparing to test the unmanned aircraft to determine a number of operational items, such as what altitudes they will have to be flown, and what kind of capabilities they can provide the department's Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Murphy said this morning.

"It makes sense to taxpayers for the Department of Homeland Security to utilize existing technologies such as the Department of Defense UAV program at Fort Huachuca," U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., said this morning. "Fort Huachuca is clearly the best location in the country to work on the development of UAV technology and procedure."

Murphy said the fort has a lot of support that the department can use in testing unmanned aerial vehicles for border security.

In May, Kolbe and other members of Arizona's congressional delegation sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge asking him to use the fort's existing UAV capabilities for developing tactics, techniques and procedures. The congressmen also said that using the fort is perfect to establish a program for border security due to the fort's restricted airspace and its proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Murphy said no decision has been made if UAVs will be added to the border security arsenal or where the aircraft would be located.

Part of the UAV testing for the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection will take place at the Air Force's Barry Goldwater Range in Gila Bend, he said.

The fort's infrastructure for unmanned aerial vehicle training is being increased.

In September, Kolbe announced a $6.899 million contract to the San Antonio-based Medlin Group to construct a four-building complex on the post. The project calls for four 10,000-square-foot structures to be used for simulator training, flight operations, maintenance operations and a maintenance facility.

Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. also received a $33 million contract from the Army late last month. Nearly 70 percent of the funds will be used at the corporation's Sierra Vista facility to build more Hunter unmanned aerial vehicles and replace obsolete equipment in the existing fleet. The money also will be used to develop new technology for the spy planes.

Cochise County is planning to develop a testing and flight area in Whetstone for commercial companies involved in unmanned aerial vehicle programs.

On Monday, the Arizona Department of Commerce cited the city of Sierra Vista and the Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation for supporting what could become an international center of excellence for UAV development, testing and training.

[SandRat]

I did a quick check under UAV by post time and this did not come up. If it's a dupe Admin just delete it.

[SandRat]

PING!

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[HiJinx]

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The Border List ^TM

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[sonsofliberty2000]

It'll take more then a UAV to stop illegals coming over. Look at CA. How can you seriously call something illegal if you let them have Driver Licenses, let them vote and stay in the US free of charge and then enforce the border laws? You can't. We need to also focus on enforcing the laws and strengthening them as well.

New on Patriot Paradox: Interview with Carlo3b

[July 4th]

It'll take more then a UAV to stop illegals coming over.

Yes. A UAV with Hellfire missiles.

[Straight Vermonter]

Ok so lets say the UAV spots an illegal. Lets even say a border agent captures said illegal. Lets even say a judge orders deportation. Since Mexico will not allow deportation to the interior all we can do is bus them to the border.

What does that solve?

Is it time to open up Manzanar again?

[Carry_Okie]

Glenn Spencer deserves a Congressional Medal of Freedom.

[Carry_Okie]

What does that solve?

If they pay ten grand to a coyote they don't get their money back.

[EuroFrog]

UAV testing at Ft Huachuca is very old practice. My first job right out of highschool - in 92 - I was working with a Govt contractor, me and the other team members got paid very good money to sit out in the field for 12 hour shifts and babysit the equipment that was 'hidden' for UAV testing.

[John O]

Ok so lets say the UAV spots an illegal. Lets even say a border agent captures said illegal. Lets even say a judge orders deportation. Since Mexico will not allow deportation to the interior all we can do is bus them to the border.

What does that solve?

Is it time to open up Manzanar again?

Haven't a clue to what Manzanar is. The answer is to treat these attackers like the un-uniformed combatants they are and shoot them. We are at war. We need to act like it. Any one attacking the borders of the US is an enemy and needs to be treated like one.

[JustPiper]

Me thinx its just about the DEA and DC wantng to have a huge drug score under their belts.

[jmc813]

When I was stationed there in 94-95, there was a permanently tethered blimp hovering over the mountains night and day looking for aliens.

[SandRat]

Yep, the "Battle of Britain Barrage Ballon" is still here and operational but,... it always was and still is for detection drug runners trying to cross into the US using small aircraft or aircraft flying -- Low.

[MissAmericanPie]

Is this some lame attempt to reassure the public that we don't need citizens patrolling our borders? We are the government and we are here to help you.

[cookcounty]

Yup. Huachuca is already the UAV capital of the US.

[TADSLOS]

They might as well be doing wildlife counts with them.

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

Manzanar was a Japanese-American prison camp in California during WW II.

[Amerigomag]

Is it time to open up Manzanar again?

No, it's time to send the 3rd Infantry into Mexico, capture their oil fields, place the fields under US control operated by US corporations, allow the US corporations a resonable profit and then return the rest of the profit to Mexico's poor.

[archy]

Is it time to open up Manzanar again?

Better. Deport them to the Golan Heights and Hebron where they can serve as a *buffer population* between the civilian terrorists and the Israelis.

-archy-/-