Predator Drones Get Domestic Surveillance Tech from DHS; Privacy Concern Arises

[unhappycamper]

http://www.devicemag.com/2013/03/05/predator-drones-get-domestic-surveillance-tech-from-dhs-privacy-concern-arises/



Predator Drones Get Domestic Surveillance Tech from DHS; Privacy Concern Arises
March 5, 2013, By Sanjeev Ramachandran

Not long ago, the sky was filled with just clouds and stars, but it looks like the Homeland Security doesn’t want to keep it that way anymore. They have initiated domestic surveillance through predator drones.

~snip~

Last year, DHS had signed a contract with General Atomics that could be worth as much as $443 million for the purchase of up to 14 additional Predator drones to fly near the border of Mexico and Canada.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a division of DHS, uses the unmanned drones inside the U.S. to patrol the borders with surveillance equipment like video cameras, infrared cameras, heat sensors and radar.

~snip~

he FAA estimates as many as 30,000 drones could be flying over US territory by the end of the decade.



unhappycamper comment: Ignoring the civil liberties issues, $443,000,000 / 14 drones = $31.6 million a pop.

Even Wikipedia sez these thing cost $36.8 million (which surprises the hell out on me) --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQ-9

30,000 x $36.8 million = one shitload of bucks.

This is one of the reasons I am pleased that sequestration is putting the brakes on the DoD's budget. The cost of weapons systems has been increasing and increasing and increasing.... $40 billion dollars for a new aircraft carrier? $5+ billion dollars each for 3 fricking stealth destroyers? $500 million for Littoral Combat Ships that may not survive an engagement? A $5~7 billion dollar Virginia-class submarine each and every year? Get real.

How many schools must we close close to pay for this crap? How many cops must be laid off? How many kids go to bed at night hungry? Why are 15% of Americans living in poverty? Why is American infrastructure sliding down to third world 'standards'? The answer:



I rest my case.