Give us your sick, your poor, NO --------QUICK, DUCK!HOUSTON, Texas -- A dozen U.S. Predator aircraft will be based at Houston's Ellington Field for use in homeland security and border patrols.
Predators are unmanned aircraft that can carry missiles and can stay airborne for 24 hours. They can be operated by ground control or satellite. They can be used to locate targets and either fire their own fire missiles or be followed up by other aircraft.
Perry said the 12 Predators at Ellington will be used to patrol such assets as the Southeast Texas ports and petrochemical complex and NASA's Johnson Space Center. Perry said they'll also be used to patrol the border with Mexico.
DeLay -- who's a Sugar Land Republican -- says the aircraft would used to monitor illegal immigration. Perry says they'd also be used as a bargaining chip with the independent federal base-closing commission to keep the 147th Fighter Wing at Ellington.
this is stupid...12 airplanes are supposed to help protect an entire border?????
do these planes have the ability to completely scan ridiculously large areas of land for any traces of human movement or what?
when you actually go into the wilderness of west texas, you realize that its far easier to cross over the border than you originally think....all you need is a bunch of water and the will to succeed/survive
MQ-1 PREDATOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE
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Mission
The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-al ude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft. The MQ-1's primary mission is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. When the MQ-1 is not actively pursuing its primary mission, it acts as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander-owned theater asset for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of the Joint Forces commander.
Features
The MQ-1 Predator is a system, not just an aircraft. A fully operational system consists of four aircraft (with sensors), a ground control station, a Predator Primary Satellite Link, and approximately 55 personnel for deployed 24-hour operations.
The basic crew for the Predator is one pilot and two sensor operators. They fly the aircraft from inside the ground control station via a C-Band line-of-sight data link or a Ku-Band satellite data link for beyond line-of-sight flight. The aircraft is equipped with a color nose camera (generally used by the pilot for flight control), a day variable-aperture TV camera, a variable-aperture infrared camera (for low light/night), and a synthetic aperture radar for looking through smoke, clouds or haze. The cameras produce full motion video while the SAR produces still frame radar images.
The MQ-1 Predator carries the Multi-spectral Targeting System with inherent AGM-114 fire missile targeting capability and integrates electro-optical, infrared, laser designator and laser illuminator into a single sensor package. The aircraft can employ two laser-guided fire anti-tank missiles with the MTS ball.
The system is composed of four major components which can be deployed for worldwide operations. The Predator aircraft can be disassembled and loaded into a "coffin." The ground control system is transportable in a C-130 (or larger) transport aircraft. The Predator can operate on a 5,000 by 75 feet (1,524 meters by 23 meters), hard surface runway with clear line-of-sight. The ground data terminal antenna provides line-of-sight communications for takeoff and landing. The PPSL provides over-the-horizon communications for the aircraft.
An alternate method of employment, Remote Split Operations, employs a smaller version of the GCS called the Launch and Recovery GCS. The LRGCS conducts takeoff and landing operations at the forward deployed location while the CONUS based GCS conducts the mission via extended communications links.
The aircraft includes an ARC-210 radio, an APX-100 IFF/SIF with Mode 4, an upgraded turbo-charged engine and glycol-weeping “wet wings” for ice mitigation. The latest upgrade includes fuel injection, longer wings, dual alternators and other improvements.
Background
The "M" is the Department of Defense designation for multi-role and "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "1" refers to the aircraft being the first of a series of purpose-built remotely piloted aircraft systems.
The Predator system was designed in response to a Department of Defense requirement to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information to the warfighter.
In April 1996, the secretary of defense selected the U.S. Air Force as the operating service for the RQ-1 Predator system. A change in designation from "RQ-1" to "MQ-1" occurred in 2002 with the addition of the armed reconnaissance role.
Operational squadrons are the 11th, 15th and 17th Reconnaissance Squadrons, Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Armed reconnaissance, airborne surveillance and target acquisition
Contractor: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated
Power Plant: Rotax 914 four cylinder engine producing 101 horsepower
Length: 27 feet (8.22 meters)
Height: 6.9 feet (2.1 meters)
Weight: 1,130 pounds ( 512 kilograms) empty, maximum takeoff weight 2,250 pounds (1,020 kilograms)
Wingspan: 48.7 feet (14.8 meters)
Speed: Cruise speed around 84 mph (70 knots), up to 135 mph
Range: up to 400 nautical miles (454 miles)
Ceiling: up to 25,000 feet (7,620 meters)
Fuel Capacity: 665 pounds (100 gallons)
Payload: 450 pounds (204 kilograms)
System Cost: $40 million (1997 dollars)
Initial operational capability: March 2005
Inventory: Active force, 57; ANG, 0; Reserve, 0
I think they work
Predators armed with missiles have also proved their worth in the war on terrorist groups. In Yemen, the Central Intelligence Agency used a missile-armed Predator in November 2002 to strike a car carrying six suspected Al-Qaeda operatives, including one suspected of masterminding the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole. More recently, they have been used in attacks on insurgents planting roadside bombs in Iraq.
The Predator's ability to conduct dangerous surveillance and attack missions over hostile territory without risking the lives -- or the potentially embarrassing capture -- of US pilots, has encouraged US defense officials to push for its expanded use.
So what's the problem with using these planes? Sounds like a good idea to me. Unmanned aircraft are cheaper to fly than manned ones, they can stay out longer to complete their mission and don't put pilots or other crew at risk. Everyone wants a fix to our open borders, but then when something perfectly logical is tested to help solve this, people have off base reservations about it?
They sure as can cover a lot more ground than the US Border Patrol.
Just make sure the operators have the Border Patrol peeps on speed dial, and it should work fine.
Notice how Dan in the thread le says...(armed?) . He knows no limits to encite people. Where did he get this? Pull it out of his ass?
He doesn't "say", he "asks". You're evidence that precise use of language is not what Texans are known for.
Has he INCITED you to think about an answer to his question? Putting a defensive weapon in the air without munitions is like putting a pistol on a cop's hip without bullets. Or is the drone just a robotic, air-borne TV camera?
And for Perry, it's not even about security, it's about playing pork poker with DOD.
And you are evidence that you will attack anything republican. Your language of "shrub" is really enlightening for all to see . You have your agenda and I have mine. We agree to disagree!
yeah I guess people get pissed if more cops patrol their nieghborhoods, I guess some liberals still think any increased security measure is a threat against their cons ional rights... but soon after a tradegy like the london bombings their were squealing asking for more funds for subways... what gives really...
What are you "talking" about? You make no "sense"!
Anyways........
The planes can be used for surveillance purposes along the border. I doubt they will be armed with fire missles. So what is bad about that?
Human instinct. Also, there is a lot of propaganda, putting fear into the hearts of millions. A very small percent of people in this country have been adversely affected(directly) by a terrorist attack. I don't care either way, as long as I don't see anyone "supposed terrorists" blown up with it.
these planes have mainly been used for surveillance... even in iraq...
I doubt they will use armed variant. There are only a few and they are needed at the war front.
[QUOTE=cecil collins]Human instinct. Also, there is a lot of propaganda, putting fear into the hearts of millions. QUOTE]
I agree wholeheartedly. Too many people like NBADan trying to spread fear with their tired "America is going to in a right-wing handbasket" rhetoric.
OMG...planes protecting our border...it's a police state!! It's 1984!!!! Let's all freak out!!!
[QUOTE=Jelly]
This is a great idea. The Predator and Dark Star drones are pretty freaking awesome and do an incredible job of watching over a large area.
[QUOTE=Jelly]Yeah, the high-gas prices, the deteriorating situation in Iraq, Plame-gate, and now the militarization of the border and American cities are my entire fault.
It's big of you to admit that, Dan.Yeah, the high-gas prices, the deteriorating situation in Iraq, Plame-gate, and now the militarization of the border and American cities are my entire fault.
If they aren't armed the name predator seems kinda weak
So then what was the point of you bringing this up? What is the problem with it?Yeah, the high-gas prices, the deteriorating situation in Iraq, Plame-gate, and now the militarization of the border and American cities are my entire fault.
Why are people so concerned with the situation at the Mexican border?
Is it because they are afraid terrorists will enter the US or is it because they want to keep the Mexican, Salvadorians, Nicaraguans, Guatemalans, Cubans (sorry, those come in lifeboats), Dominicans, etc, etc, etc out?
It's not just the predator though, Insannity has been doing a week-long tour promoting the issue of illegal immigration and gently framing it as a priority National Security issue, even though no terrorists has ever tried to cross the Southern border, but they tried to cross the Northern border and the 911 conspirators were all here legally on student visas. Also, W isn't going to get though on immigration from Mexico because it has been a boon for the home construction business which has been driving the economy.
The whole guest-worker program proposal seems more like a bureaucratic head-ache in the making than any real solution to illegal immigration.
So it’s all a big farce. The Republicans plan to use immigration as a wedge-issue in 06 and 08 the way they used gay marriage in 04, this time to help target Hispanics and its far right cons uency to get out the vote in Southern states. Just watch, they will propose a guest-worker program for Mexico and a amnesty program to all those illegally already in the U.S. and Hispanics will fall for it, but it will never happen because it is not fiscally or politically expedient to do so until we are attacked from Mexico.
because its far easier for anyone to get into the country than people are led to think
people who are not citizens
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