New border patrol boat features high-tech surveillance

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit News

Monday, September 21, 2009
New border patrol boat features high-tech surveillance
Paul Egan / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection today unveiled what could be its newest weapon in fighting the smuggling of drugs, weapons, goods and illegal immigrants across the Detroit River and other coastal borders.

The 43-foot boat, a prototype that's in the testing stages, can hit speeds of 75 mph (65 knots) and is loaded with high-tech features such as a camera that can see a mile away at night.

The Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator vessel is being tested in various waters around the United States and has been in Detroit for more than two weeks.

The boat's high speed could be particularly effective in the Detroit area, said Thomas Norton, director of Customs and Border Protection's National Marine Center.

Read more: http://www.detnews.com/article/20090921/METRO/909210413/New-border-patrol-boat-features-high-tech-surveillance

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At $900,000 per copy, this strikes me as more of a toy than a tool.

[Rick Myers]

1. Planning to catch all the Candaians that will be sneaking into

the US for the health care???

[Bozita]

4. Some people say it's to stop the Canadians from coming here to buy prescription drugs

They heard about all of the deadly drugs those Canadian pharmacies are selling.

Yup, that's what they're saying.

[TheCML]

2. Finally!

Im glad we are addressing the real problem, those pesky Canadian illegals. And all this time I thought the real problem was on the streets of Detroit itself.

[old mark]

3. To catch smugglers from Canada? I wonder why they couldn't

find some old WWII PT boats with 3 V-12 Packard engines...I guess there are none around anymore, though - they were made of plywood.

What are those evil Canadians up to now? Smuggling Scotch again?

Sounds like a hell of a ride, though...coast guard enlistments will increase!

mark

[Fumesucker]

5. I guess the Canukistanians are smuggling in fully automatic assault weapons now..

And smuggling low priced, high quality pharmaceuticals to Canuckistan.

They make big money in both directions, eh?

[hack89]

6. Drugs and illegal migrants into the US and cigarettes and booze back into Canada. nt

[thunder rising]

15. You mean to say those sneaky Guatemalan's are swimming to Canada to enter from the north.

We've got the Minute Men on the wrong border? OMG

[Bozita]

8. Sounds like something the Mackenzie brothers would be into, eh?

[Fumesucker]

9. Makes me want to play Canadian Roulette..

Hoser..

[Bozita]

13. psssst! ...

How to stuff a mouse into a beer bottle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsgVspgy184

[bemildred]

7. Oh my goodness, a mile away at night!1111 nt

[icnorth]

10. Not only just a mile away at night

but through rocks, rapids and blizzards.... and uhh, what was the question? :D

[bemildred]

11. I don't know, but personally, I think we could use a few more Canadians.

:hi:

[lib2DaBone]

12. money spent on war in Iraq could have provided full health care for every man, woman and child...

... 4 times over. Plus, there would have been enough money left to pay for a college education for every American Citizen.

I think this describes the magnitude of the lunacy. And that example hasn't even added in the cost of the War on Drugs?

$900,00 for a patrol boat?

[thunder rising]

14. If it's going to patrol the Rio Grand it better have wheels :-)

[damntexdem]

16. But will it float?

[One_Life_To_Give]

Delete Dupe

[One_Life_To_Give]

17. Transfer mission and funding to the USCG

Otherwise smugglers can just wait for a squall line. Border Patrol is probably not allowed to run that boat in more than a light chop and no wind anyways. Besides a CG RB-M (Response Boat Medium) is probably a better platform to mount all the electronics on and can actually operate in far rougher conditions than the BP would likely ever be allowed out in.