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You are hereObama Closing Air Defense System on U.S./Mexico Border: Texas & America Vulnerable to Attack from Low Altitude Missiles and Aircraft
updates: Outrage Growing over Obama Cutting Homeland Security U.S. Border Air Defense System (TARS)White House Petition Asks Obama Not to Shut Down TARS Air Defense System on Southern Border
Call your Congressmen and Senators immediately and demand that the recent budget cuts do not affect the security of America’s borders. The Federal Government wastes billions of dollars on things they should not even be involved in, but securing our country’s borders is one of the jobs that the federal government is actually supposed to do! Obama has always pushed massive cuts in the military as part of any budget cuts he will accept in fiscal deals. Obama seems to be getting what he wants, and it will leave America’s borders vulnerable to attacks and other infiltrations. Air Force’s Air Defense Radar Systems along U.S./Mexico Border will SHUTDOWN on March 15th, 2013 On January 17th, 2013, Exelis Systems Corporation sent out an email (see email below) to all of its employees informing them that on March 15th, 2013 all TARS Air Defense Mission Operations will permanently cease. These TARS Air Defense sites were under the control of the United States Air Force. On January 15th, 2013, the Air Force informed Exelis (the defense contractor running the TARS sites) that the TARS sites will be shut down. Exelis tried to then negotiate with the Department of Homeland Security to see if they would take over the vital project, but it seems as though those negotiations have failed. What does this mean? This means the southern border of the United States of America will be more vulnerable to attack from low flying aircrafts, low altitude missiles, and other infiltrations such as smuggling. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one Exelis employee had this to say about the announced closure of the TARS sites:
According to the Air Force’s website, the Tethered Aerostat Radar System, or TARS, is an aerostat-borne, surveillance program. Using the aerostat as a stationary airborne platform for a surveillance radar, the system is capable of detecting low altitude aircraft at the radar's maximum range by mitigating curvature of the earth and terrain masking limitations. TARS provides a detection and monitoring capability along the United States-Mexico border, the Florida Straits, and a portion of the Caribbean in support of the Department of Defense Counterdrug Program. The primary agencies using the TARS surveillance data include U.S. Northern Command in support of Customs and Border Protection (Air and Marine Operations Center and Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center) and U.S. Southern Command in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South. In addition to its counterdrug mission, TARS surveillance data also supports North American Aerospace Defense Command's air sovereignty mission for the continental United States. Email Sent to all Exelis Employees January 17th, 2013 Announcing Closure of TARS Air Defense Sites: Subject: TARS Contract Update Tuesday, 15 January 2013, we received a government request for a proposal (RfP) to de-scope and close the TARS program by the end of the fiscal year. The government indicated that it does not intend to exercise the final two option years for the TARS contract. In the RfP, the government also indicated its intent that aerostat flight operations will cease on March 15, 2013, and that the remainder of the fiscal year will be used to deflate aerostats, disposition equipment, and prepare sites for permanent closure. We are currently reviewing all the details of the RfP and evaluating the possible impacts on the program and our workforce. We continue to communicate with the government on this matter, and we will have more information in the coming days and weeks. The TARS program provides a critical capability to the U.S. government and we should remain focused on providing that service in an uninterrupted and robust manner. The best thing we can do right now is to continue to provide the outstanding TARS support that has become the Exelis hallmark, while allowing the company and the government time to continue discussions on how to best support the customer, the program, and our workforce. We will provide regular updates as we know more. Should you have a specific question, please address them to Tim Green, Program Manager. Tim Green, PMP Posted under:
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Obama is purposely weakening our military
But we have billions of taxpayer's dollars for the defense of the new Islamist State of Egypt and Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi and their new Islamist Constitution, by sending Egypt state of the art military aircraft, military tanks, and military hardware, while he emasculates our military.
Please sign petition against
Why would anyone sign any
hi 1st
Americans have no control
zionist control nothing
how dumb can you be??
even the jews you accuse like Feinstein, are jesuit schooled
Stay on topic for Pete's sake
HATE
Why?
http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=node/10208
WTF
CALL YOUR SENATORS - INFO BELOW!
Commies Invading from South and North
Russia has already amassed their troops to their already existing Russia Military base in the Arctic Circle near Alaska. In the late 1800s, we bought Alaska for 7.2 Million from the Russians. Years later, we discovered that Alaska is sitting on top of oil. So the Russkies went nuts and ever since the days of the Soviet Union, they've been demanding their land back. So now they're gonna steal it from us.
China will invade Texas, because of two reasons, it's a very hardcore Conservative State and a gun haven for their citizens. Second reason is Texas is the 2nd economic state of the nation, if Washington D.C. were to fall for example, Texas has all the resources and economic means to help the rest of the nation and can actually run an effient Government should it be the new Capital State. So when and if China takes out Texas, the rest should be easy.
Oh, our oil reserves? The U.N. has them hostage now, they're guarding it.
The Marines and our military will of course come to our aid, but it's gonna be a very long haul fighting 3 fronts, Russia, China and the U.N. as well as traitors, i.e. FEMA Corps.
Say "no" to surveillance blimps
Best regards,
Grits for breakfast is not enough nutrients for your brain
Hey there grits, I will first start out by forgiving you of your ignorance, since you are probably just a couch potato blogger in Austin, TX.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Secondly, I will explain to you that the Aerostats are not only in Texas, but also in Florida, New Mexico, Arizona and Puerto Rico. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t really seen any Texas state troopers or Border Patrol in Florida. I would also like to point out the difference in Border Patrol/State Troopers with the Aerostat. You see, the aerostat flies at around 10,000 feet in the air sending out a 200 nautical mile radar. This radar is used to detect aircraft by sending a signal to the aircraft to determine if it is a friend or foe. (The Aerostat is able to detect the aircraft well over the border before it even begins to reach the US) The information that is received at the TARS site is then sent directly to WADS or Western Air Defense System. They are then in charge of scrambling jets to the location of any unauthorized aircraft that has been detected by the Aerostat. So while it is great that we have the BP and DPS, they do not have the air capabilities of the Aerostat.
Furthermore, the closer of the Aerostat does not mean that the Air Force does not need it; it simply means that they are tired of funding it. Something else you probably didn’t know is that just hours before Exelis released the email, the Air Force was trying to negotiate with Homeland Security to take over the program. Why would they make these negotiations if the program was not needed? The problem is the cost. The Air Force has been tired of losing money from their budget, and Homeland Security is also facing budget cuts. That is why neither of them wants ownership of this program because it is too much cost and hassle for them.
To shed a little more light on your lack of knowledge with the TARS program, when the Aerostat is down due to weather or maintenance, the Air Force is calling trying to figure out the soonest that it will be able to fly because it is such a critical part in the security of America. You see, before this program the cartels and dealers were constantly flying right over the border in all types of small aircraft. When this program was put in place, the numbers have gone down and stayed down. Once you close this program, the numbers will again go back up. So, while it is easy for you to sit there and be a critic of the program, you should probably learn a little more about something the next time you open your mouth.
By the way Quaker man, you sound liberal to me, so I realize that you will still not understand anything that I have just said.
Regards,
Drake
Surveillance blimps and Big Government conservatism
Who would they be protecting the border from, Georgia?
You say, the Air Force considers the blimps "a critical part in the security of America," but it's the Air Force that's ending the contract!! They're the ones who don't think they need it, or at least that the cost-benefit analysis doesn't justify it compared to other programs. You're the one who wants them to keep spending high for pork purposes (hundreds of jobs, etc.) when the Air Force clearly doesn't think it's a "vital" or cost-effective way to secure the border.
Where are the small-government conservatives when you need them?
BTW, I'm not a Quaker - Baptist, actually - and I'll leave the "liberal" or "conservative" labels to others. IMO I've taken the fiscally conservative position here while you've adopted a Big-Government, spend-more, money is no object approach. Which of those positions is "conservative" or "liberal" is in the eye of the beholder.
Government is responsible for security
The simple truth is that TARS is a needed and effective program. With the recent military budget cuts, the military is doing away with wanted and unwanted programs all together. The reason the Air Force does not want to find it is because this program helps CBP and the Coast Guard more than the Air Force. So in turn they believe Homeland Security should be the one paying the tab.
Here are comments from a commander in the Coast Guard: "Its presence has a deterrent value to illicit trafficking here in the area," U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West Cmdr. Al Young said on US1Radio this week. "It also allows us here at the Coast Guard to maintain real-time visibility of air and surface resources that we may have and on occasion, we have used that information to vector assistance resources to find search objects."
"It appears to be a funding issue, and I believe what the Air Force is doing is saying, 'If it has value to the Department of Homeland Security, then find a way to pay for it' -- I think that's what's going on right now," Young said. "Its presence has deterrent value to illicit trafficking here in the area -- both human and drug trafficking.
"We've got some pretty sophisticated tools that we work with already, but if you're asking me, 'Do I want to work without it?' I would tell you no."
The reason that Homeland Security does not want the tab is because they too are facing budget cuts, so they simply just cannot afford to take on this program. I know this by talking to certain individuals within the Border Patrol. This is what happens when you cut the budget of our security, you are left to compromise needed programs. The liberal left wing that is in control could care less about illegal immigration or insecure borders, they only care about the paycheck of the working class and control of the US.
Drake
Budget cuts for thee but not for me?
If that's the case, I truly don't see your point. For most fiscal conservatives, that'd be an excellent reason to eliminate any program, much less surveillance blimps. Budgets are about setting priorities and it appears the Air Force and DHS have done so. Conservatives undermine the legitimacy of their arguments when they criticize excessive spending then moan and wail when cuts are applied to their pet programs.
Grits - when you can't
The fact that this rogue DHS does not want to support it can also be linked to the fact that they have also labeled tea party people, pro-lifers, gun owners, etc. as the potential terrorists (web search Napolitano targets pro-lifers) - it doesn’t take even middle school intelligence to conclude red state, pro gun, 2nd amendment loving Texas is reviled by this administration - especially with Gov Perry at the helm, the secession mumblings, etc…
Regarding the Air Force, even a 5th grader can look up - “The Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, who is appointed by the President”.
Finally, perhaps it escapes you - they both (AF & DHS) have an ultimate commander in chief - the president. A most partisan, revengeful (even remarked "vote for revenge" during election) thug intent on "fundamentally transforming America". One whom tries to bully news organizations, leaks secret info on Israel about its allies against Iran, whom gives guns to ruthless drug lords to use on civilians in Mexico in hopes of finding some at crime scenes to blame and crack down on “our” 2nd amendment (ie. fast and furious) ---- why am I even bothering - if you don’t already know this you are too lazy to do your own investigating, or, so ideologically maligned you can't grasp it!!
12 Chinese military bases in
By the way, can anyone tell us just how many low-flying aircraft and/or missles coming out of Mexico these blimps have actually detected during the period they have been floating around? I mean, really documented stuff, that anyone can access? And how many drug smugglers, stumbling across the border desert with school packs full of drugs, have been detected by the blimps?
In short, are there any facts -- to be distinguished from hysterical fear-mongering nonsense -- to support the proposition that these blimps actually accomplish anything worthwhile?
It really is fun to watch small-government Texas Republicans deal with the reality of small-government. When the pork that is being cut is your pork, you guys squeal like hogs caught under a closing gate.
Texas
Obama Closing Air Defense System on U.S./Mexico Border
Not good enough for Texas, but apparently good enough for D.C.
Blimps to bolster Washington's air shield in test
http://news.yahoo.com/blimps-bolster-washingtons-air-shield-test-2046298...