U.S. sends drones to fight Mexican drug trade. By GINGER THOMPSON and MARK MAZZETTI, NYTimes Stepping up its involvement in Mexico’s drug war, the Obama administration has begun sending drones deep into Mexican territory to gather intelligence that helps locate major traffickers and follow their networks, according to American and Mexican officials.
The Pentagon began flying high-altitude, unarmed drones over Mexican skies last month, American military officials said, in hopes of collecting information to turn over to Mexican law enforcement agencies. Other administration officials said a Homeland Security drone helped Mexican authorities find several suspects linked to the Feb. 15 killing of Jaime Zapata, a United States Immigration and Customs EnforcementImmigration agent. President Obama and his Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderón, formally agreed to continue the surveillance flights during a White House meeting on March 3.
CNN.com news Drones silently patrol U.S. borders Predator B UAV unmanned aerial vehicle.mp4. New Drone In Texas. Homeland Security adding 3 drone aircraft despite lack of pilots - latimes.com. Reporting from Washington — The Homeland Security Department is adding three surveillance drone aircraft to a domestic fleet chiefly used to patrol the border with Mexico even though officials acknowledge they don't have enough pilots to operate the seven Predators they already possess.
The new drones are being purchased after lobbying by members of the so-called drone caucus in Congress, many from districts in Southern California, a major hub of the unmanned aircraft industry. "We didn't ask for them," said a Homeland Security official who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak frankly. Officials said the Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine, which operates the drones, has enough pilots to fly the current fleet only five days a week. Congress approved $32 million to buy the new drones last August. But the authorization did not include money to train or hire new pilots or crews, or to buy spare parts, officials said. DHS Doesn’t Want Its New Spy Drones. It was a really thoughtful gesture, but officials with the Department of Homeland Security kinda wish Congress had held onto the gift receipt for those spy drones.
In a gift-giving mix-up that outdoes any of your worst Christmas sweater stories, Congress this past August approved a very generous $32 million appropriation to the DHS for the acquisition of three new Predator drones, meant to bolster the Department’s border-monitoring efforts. Department officials were surprised, to say the least.
See, new Predators weren’t exactly on their surveillance gear wish list. “We didn’t ask for them,” an unnamed official told the Los Angeles Times. DHS is already struggling to operate their seven existing drones. That means more than just pilots: Each drone also requires a maintenance crew, intelligence analysts and pricey satellite bandwidth. Predator drones used in domestic tasks. Predator Drones On U.S. Border. Predator Drones Patrolling US Mexico Border! (I Thought CIA Was In Charge Of The Drone Program???) US unarmed drones track drug gangs in Mexico. 16 March 2011Last updated at 17:45 The drone missions were formally agreed during presidential talks in Washington The US has been sending unarmed drones over Mexico since February to gather intelligence on major drug cartels, the Mexican government has confirmed.
The flights were made at Mexico's request and were supervised by the Mexican air force and other agencies. It is the latest sign of growing US involvement in Mexico's campaign against violent drugs gangs. Mexico confirmed the missions had been taking place after they were revealed by the New York Times newspaper. Most of the drone flights have been over northern border areas, the scene of much of the drug-related violence that has left more than 34,000 dead since late 2006.
The New York Times report said the missions had been kept secret because of Mexican legal restraints and sensitivities over sovereignty. Texas getting a second drone to monitor border. WASHINGTON — Texas will get another unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor its border with Mexico, congressional officials said Wednesday.
Gov. Rick Perry has repeatedly criticized the Obama administration for failing to provide more drones to help secure the border, and Texas lawmakers on the Homeland Security Committee urged Secretary Janet Napolitano in a letter this year to base in Texas one of two additional UAVs approved by Congress. On Tuesday, Retired Air Force Maj. U.S. Widens Role in Mexico’s Fight Against Crime.