Arizona delegation seeks drones for border patrol

The Business Journal (Arizona) ^ | May 7, 2003 | Mike Sunnucks

[madfly]

Arizona delegation seeks drones
for border patrol

Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal

Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation have put their letter-writing hats on the past few days.

U.S. Sen. John McCain and U.S. Reps. Jim Kolbe, John Shadegg, Jeff Flake, J.D. Hayworth, Rick Renzi and Trent Franks penned a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge asking for unmanned aerial vehicles to be used to help patrol the Mexican border.

The May 7 letter asks Ridge to develop a UAV patrol program in southern Arizona. The congressional members endorse Fort Huachuca as a good location for unmanned drone operations, training and research.

"Southern Arizona provides an excellent location for researching aerial threats, examining the use of technologies and addressing potential safety and privacy concerns," the Republican members said in the correspondence.

Several members of the state delegation have been pushing hard for more federal resources along the border. U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl recently met with Attorney General John Ashcroft regarding border matters. Kyl, McCain, Shadegg and others would also like to see more technology used to help stem the tide of illegal border crossings.

On Tuesday, Franks wrote his own letter touting Luke Air Force Base as the training home for the new Joint Strike Fighter. Franks is urging House Armed Services chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. to get on the Luke bandwagon.

The $200 billion JSF is the next generation jet fighter and Franks believes Luke and the Goldwater Range are well suited for training operations.

Franks' House district includes Luke. The Lockheed Martin-made JSF will be deployed in 2008.

The Pentagon embarks on another round of base closings in 2005. Attracting UAV or Joint Strike Fighter operations would help Arizona facilities stay off the closure lists.

[SandRat]

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