Posted on 10/17/2007 6:52:53 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TUCSON, Ariz. – Defense contractor Boeing Co. has told the government it believes it has solved most of the problems that have delayed use of the first section of a high-tech “virtual fence” along the nation's borders for months.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, however, said they'll wait until acceptance testing now set for late October is done before passing judgment. The 28-mile section of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Arizona is the first of thousands of miles planned on the nation's southern and northern borders.
Boeing personnel who briefed federal officials “sounded real optimistic” about the fixes, said Brad Benson, a Customs and Border Protection spokesman in Washington. “I have talked to Border Patrol personnel, and they weren't quite that optimistic.”
Operation of the nine 98-foot towers north of the Arizona-Mexico border near the port of entry at Sasabe has been delayed for at least four months because of computer software glitches.
Loaded with sensors, radar and sophisticated cameras, the towers are designed to detect illegal immigrants and drug smugglers coming through the heavily trafficked area southwest of Tucson.
The $20 million virtual fence pilot project remains on hold because software designed to integrate the results of sensor hits, radar readings and camera sightings wasn't working correctly. A glitch in the programming has kept it from providing a common operating picture for agents, who plan to use it to spot and capture illegal entrants and smugglers.
Because of that, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a Congressional committee last month that he would withhold further payment to Boeing, the prime contractor, and declined to accept the system until he was satisfied.
He called acceptance testing “a little bit like buying a car. We didn't want to get stuck with a lemon,” he testified.
That testing is now set for the last week in October, Benson said.
The virtual fence is being tested first in Arizona, the focal point for illegal crossings into the United States from Mexico. But plans call for installing 1,800 such towers along both the Mexican and Canadian borders.
Benson said Border Patrol agents have employed some of the towers' equipment to assist in apprehensions of illegal immigrants. But that doesn't mean all systems are functioning in an integrated manner or that agents are seeing one common picture as intended, he said.
“There's some usefulness there, but it's still not there,” Benson said.
Even if the system passes, other tests may follow, and other faults may crop up during operation.
“Our guys have said the true test of whether we're accepting it is whether the Border Patrol is using it,” Benson said. “It's not ready for prime time. We still have a little way to go.”
Stopping them? The ones that get caught are just sent back to try again in a matter of hours. One of my supervisors was once asked by a reporter how many illegal aliens got away from the Border Patrol, his answer was: “They all get away.”
Ahah, I’ll have to remember that.
They think virtual walls are okay, because they view this as a virtual problem.
Well, whatever your intentions; it helped me.
Border ping.
“April 15th is coming. I hope they like my virtual tax payment.”
Just tell them you were “testing it” to make sure it works.
I’m just kidding you. I appreciate the comments. At times I only feel sane around here on alternate days though. LOL
You take care.
Good idea.
Me too. Ever since I retired I am having what they tell me are Senior moments. LOL
I’m more or less kidding. It’s very interesting to read some takes on the forum. There are days when I shake my head and wonder what people could be thinking to say the things they do. I make some pretty good mistakes myself at times.
I haven’t seen you doing it though. Are you trying to make all of us look bad. ;-)
You are right. All of these candidates need to be asked about border protection, amnesty and sovereignty. If they are piping a virtual fence and a few more border control agents, they can virtually expect to not get my vote.
Don’t you worry one little bit. I don’t always say what others consider the right thing. Now, if I can just get those grammer and spelling police off my back. LOL
I agree.
As for the spelling police, I have no idea what deep seated issue drives them to think they can’t let a misspelled word go by without acting like someone’s doting mommy. I generally dismiss them out of hand.
If I work up a rough draft of something, my wife feels compelled to correct all the spelling errors before evaluating the document. The first spelling error she mentions, I take the document and don’t ask her for any more input. This has helped quite a bit.
After I’ve completed a document, I don’t mind at all. Then I need a proof reader. The first pass is for structural content and clarity of vision.
Good advice.
“’virtual fence’ nearly ready for acceptance testing “
Acceptance by Mexico, no doubt. I’m sure they’ll be very pleased.
Well, it’s sortof a tough love thing. I don’t like doing it, so I don’t offer her the chance to correct my writing very often. I now she means well, it just drives me to distraction.
I have a husband that likes to insert his opinion a lot. LOL
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