Virtual fence scrapped: $20 million down the drain
Been blogging this disaster for several months (click “virtual fence”), but now it’s official. Time to issue another Code Elmo Red homeland insecurity alert.
But hey, at least we’re building those fences for Egypt and Mexico, right?
Read and weep:
The government will replace its highly touted “virtual fence” on the Arizona-Mexico border with new towers, radars, cameras and computer software, scrapping the brand-new $20 million system because it doesn’t work sufficiently, officials said.
The move comes just two months after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff officially accepted the completed fence from The Boeing Co. With the decision, Customs and Border Protection officials are acknowledging that the so-called Project 28 pilot program to detect illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border doesn’t work well enough to keep or to continue tweaking.
Chertoff accepted the program on Feb. 22 after Boeing apparently resolved software glitches. But less than a week later, the Government Accountability Office told Congress it “did not fully meet user needs and the project’s design will not be used as the basis for future” developments.
The project consists of nine towers along a 28-mile section of border straddling the border crossing at Sasabe, southwest of Tucson.
DHS will put in about 17 new towers, some holding just communications gear, others featuring new cameras or new radars, at an undetermined cost.
The department also is spending at least $45 million to have a customized computer program written so the collected data is more quickly and efficiently fed to Border Patrol agents.
Although the system is operating today, it hasn’t come close to meeting the Border Patrol’s goals, said Kelly Good, deputy director of the Secure Border Initiative program office in Washington.
“Probably not to the level that Border Patrol agents on the ground thought that they were going to get. So it didn’t meet their expectations.”
The Border Patrol had minimum input in designing the prototype but will have more say in the final version, officials said.
More waste to come:
The new software Boeing is creating to provide agents a complete and rapid picture is considered the core of any new operating system. The contractor will use another $19 million for later upgrades.
That’s a fraction of some $860 million Boeing has been awarded for technology, physical fences and vehicle barriers.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- What the FAT????!!!! They threw away the virtual fence! | The TIW Blog
- Virtual Border Not Working: Well DUH! | Grizzly Groundswell
- The Dustin Inman Society Blog » Michelle Malkin on the virtual fence
- Michelle Malkin » Smugglers recruiting another elite spec-ops unit
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Southern Border
Doug Ross @ Journal
» Stupak: the Sanctity of Life is Important to Us, Which is Why We Will Slash Care for Old People and Further Enslave Children to Massive Deficits
Legal Insurrection
» David Frum Says We're To BlameStop The ACLU
» Dan Benishek: the alternative to Bart Sell-out StupakStop The ACLU
» Reconciliation Bill May Never HappenHot Air
» Open thread: House votes comingJustOneMinute
» Count Every Vote
Su-prise, su-prise su-prise….
That’s kind of what you get when you don’t bother to ask the guy who has to use it what it needs to do. And, dollars to doughnuts, they won’t be asking the front-line troops what they need, but what some obscure bureaucrat in Washington what they THINK the agents need. More input, indeed!
And yet people are protesting the fact that the Air Force didn’t go with Boeing for its new tanker fleet.
Looking at how Boeing fouled up the virtual fence and the Air Force tanker lease program, it’s really no wonder that the virtual fence has gone caput.
Everybody’s wondering what we should be doing with all our old munitions. Here’s a thought… let’s put them all along the border where the border patrol agents only know where they are and when you hear a BOOM! I guess that means one less illegal immigrant crossing the border.
Would Mexico, and the people they’re foisting off on us, get the message then?
Twenty million buys a lot of concrete and barbed wire. What a bunch of doorknobs.
I am so glad i stocked up on ammo before the summer fence rush.
Wow is this ever SHOCKING news! Boy I would have NEVER EVER thought that the virtual fence wouldn’t perform up to specifications. I mean catching all those virtual illegals aliens is tough work I bet! So what now, let’s spend some more money on upgrading our current Non-Working Virtual Fence V1.0 to a new and improved Non-Working Virtual Fence V2.0? What a great idea! I’m all for it as long as it keeps out those nasty virtual illegal aliens!
/sarcasm (was that even necessary???
)
BUILD THE FENCE!! A real one! Double or triple layer!
No Sh*t,
And it doesn’t need software updates, doesn’t ‘crash, won’t require a border patrol to go catch all the illegals after they’ve been ’seen’.
BUILD THE DAMN FENCE! IT DOES WORK!
DHS and lettuce head are totally incompetent, I’m not even sure they know how to tie their shoes, how can they protect the borders when they are totally inept like every other beauracracy in this country. Who is the better judge of what is needed at the border DHS or Border Agents? It is like the CEO of a company that knows nothing of the process of making widgets telling the workers that manufacture the widgets a better way to produce them.
cpo –
and this is exactly the cultural, systemic problem within Boeing…this is why they lost the chopper refitting contract.
the arrogance that Boeing uppers had permeated the company. companies, especially bigger companies such as Boeing, Lockheed, General Dynamics, etc. get so ensconced in the niche of the industry they’re serving through long term contracts and personal relationships, they become the dictator of what their customer (the gov’t) actually needs. so, if the customer ‘needs’ a service or product not within the scope of the company, they convince the customer to settle for another solution or convince the customer a solution isn’t needed at all.
this fence hadn’t been working for YEARS. Boeing kept convincing congress it would eventually be successful. now that Boeing has challenged the Air Force contract, something tells me that congress (with the help of some anti-Boeing folks) are shedding light on all of Boeings failures.
I’d listen to the CEO if, and only if, he spent twenty years on the line next to me producing the widgets. If the CEO was the son of the founder, or someone from outside, I’d listen, and then go ahead and do it my own way.
My son was a BP agent for several years(he’s now moved on to a better position) and I know he always complained about being outgunned and outmanned, and all the infighting going on behind the agents backs.
More of the same, it looks like
What a waste. They rather waste money mollifying the masses – “hey look, we’re building the fence, it just isn’t working,” than grow a pair and secure the [expletive] border. My cup runneth over…
The Three Amigos strike again!
Goes along with the Virtual Congress
A real fence keeps the cats out of my yard. It has no sensors or alarms, and it is not computerized. Oh, the occasional stray gets in if he finds a hole, but I chase him right back out and plug the hole.
Perhaps the saddest, hardest truth I’ve had to learn in this life is to never hold expectations; thus, as with this latest move to keep the fence unrealized, I am seldom disappointed!
9 towers to cover a 28 mile sector. Hmm help me out on the math here. That would be 1 tower for a little bit over 3 miles of ground. WTF?
Is there nobody with any sort of common sense left? This whole thing with the border and the fence has become some sort of bizarre Monthy Python Mini Series and is just pathetic.
C’mon America! Vote out the incumbents.
Pleassssseeeeee!
Back in the 1970s when McDonnell-Douglas was developing the aerial refueling system for the USAF KC-10A Extender they actually talked to experienced Boom Operators and hired a couple of retired ones for the design and test phase. Result the aircraft is still performing its primary mission since coming off the production line starting in 1979 through the late 80s. At $60 million a copy they are a bargain when you look at return on investment at the combined tanker/cargo capability (but I am a little prejudice flying it for 5 years).
Congress needs to gut the Federal Acquisition Regulation Government Agencies are stuck with when it comes to procuring new systems. To think this was green lighted without any input from the Border Patrol. The Department of Homeland Insecurity must have the same stellar leadership as a Dilbert cartoon. Just when you thought you couldn’t get more disgusted with Chertoff and his boys they just continue to dig. How’s the real fence coming along Lettuce Head?
Michelle, I’m very disappointed at your comparisons of Homeland Security and the Sesame Street characters. There’s no comparison…the Sesame Stree characters are far more competent and trustworthy. I think that you owe them an apology.
The most aggravating aspect of this fence crap is it could be done, just like the war on drugs could be basically won. If they(goberment and big money) wanted to do it, it would be done. Or is that another dream i had?
I’m glad my retirement account has some Boeing stock. It looks like the government is going to let them abuse the taxpayer for a while.
Why not just build an actual regular fence like the Chinese did millennium ago? It’s not a new problem. We don’t need a new solution when the old one works just fine. Are there any government contracts available for a ‘virtual wheel’ that I can apply for?
So now do we get a real fence … Nope, we get a redo of the virtual fence. You get the feeling they really don’t want to stop illegal immigration?
It’s a shell game with no peas.
I’m a pragmatic, results oriented type of guy, and I think it should be a government priority to adequately secure our borders and control the manner in which non-citizens enter our country. For someone who has the requisite info, will a fence actually work? I guess I’m looking for links showing the cost/benefit analysis, etc.
emjem, are you seriously advocating that the US government kill border crossers, or was that last post of yours some sort of attempt at humor?
Hmmm. Is this same “virtual fence” bush/mccain and the other amnesty pushing pimps told us would be even better than a real fence? In fact, wasn’t the “virtual fence” what they were selling us if only we would give them amensty because it would once and for all secure the border? As we all projected, if we had foolishly believed these lying pol’s and given them the amnesty they wanted, it would have been a replay of 1986 all over again. Sigh!!!
We don’t need a fence. The illegal invaders don’t do anything wrong.
/sarc
Maybe we can get their attention by paying “Virtual Taxes?”
We did this in Viet Nam and it didn’t work there. Why would it work now? Smaller transistors make the concept less stupid? You’d need 10 times that many sensors per mile and anilhilate everything that moves or makes a noise. Not very practical. A solid fence with shaker alarms wired back to HQ works great. Put some seismo sensors in to check for tunneling and you have a practical fence. Add about 200 dogs and now you have a real fence. Duh!
Twenty million would have paid for a lot more border patrol. I think boots on the ground do the best job…
Really, nothing here to see. And for those that question the story, read the comment section.
We are at war and we don’t even know it. Juan Mcinsane should not get near the White House so long as he has Juan Hernandez on his back.
Enough is Enough. Mcinsane should drop out and let a real Republican run.
I hate to say it, but there is a ‘real’ Republican still running, and he picked up 16% of the vote in PA last night.
I can’t answer for emjem – but I’ll go on record. Yes, I am for shooting illegal border crossers. We have some of the most liberal immigration laws, and we have multiple ports of entry. Come in legally, all is good. Come in illegally, we don’t know who you are, we don’t know what your aims are, and we’re not about to find out “the hard way”. It’s call “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
It’s amazing to me how fast Germany erected the Atlantic Wall during WWII and We The People can’t even build a white picket fence.
I know, let’s put the Feds in charge of our health care too!
As a taxpayer, I want my money back from Boeing! They sold us a lemon, they should have to give the money back or replace the system with one that works the way it was supposed to.
We need to organize a group of taxpayers and sue Boeing for $200 million dollars. $20 million for the cost of the failed fence, and $180 million for the cost that the 50,000 illegal aliens that have come across the border will place on Americans during the time that they wasted building this piece of junk and the time that they build one that works.
It’s not that we’re unable to do it, it’s that Washington doesn’t want to do it.
I SO don’t get this… $45 million for software? I’ve worked on software development projects that involve tons of credit data, financial data, oil & gas well data, etc. The software I’ve helped build manages 10s of thousands of transactions, reports on all kinds of data, and can do credit and criminal checks in 60 seconds or less. I’ve worked on 5 such projects since Oct. That’s right, only a couple of months each to plan, design, build, test and deploy a software project.
Not one of my projects has ever cost over $1.2 million or taken longer than 6 months, despite using high-priced contractors and most of them were far less.
Like one of my colleagues said, give me a fraction of that money and I can build a system for you, get it done more quickly, and it will work better.
Would a minefield be acceptable to your delicate sensibilities? That way, once they walk into an area that is clearly marked in both languages, they actually killed themselves.
That’s why they’re Boeing and you’re not.
I agree 100% with Madchef, so how do we get it done?
We get it done by consulting with the Israelis.
We won’t get it done because the government doesn’t do anything to benefit America.
If this outcome surprises you, you are naive.
Remember the 750 Million dollars worth of FBI computer systems that never got turned on?
And if you think McShamnesty has really seen the light…
Why do I get a picture in my head of a couple of virtual women, hanging out by the virtual fence, hanging up virtual laundry, gossiping about virtually everybody?
Instead of throwing all that money down the drain, can’t they just vote to give that money to me?
Michelle,
These constant stories you post about illegal immigration and the failures of our government to protect our border sicken me.
At the risk of going insane, please do not let up on your reporting of the failures of our government.
There has to be a breaking point in the destruction of our country at the hands of these lousy, scum bag, parasitic politicians.
What is it going to take to stop this madness???
On April 23rd, 2008 at 1:33 pm, Concerned Citizen said:
I think you are onto something. I like your idea best. Now if the bleeding hearts and “compassionate conservatives” would focus all that compassion on Americans and quit worrying about the invaders, maybe we would actually see progress.
$28 million dollars down the drain? How about $1,000 for a higher fence (one that goes all the way up to the underside of the bridge, with a security camera).
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352105,00.html
Homeland Security is a joke. Any poster here could replace 100 employees at the the Department of Homeland Security and produce more effective results.
DHS should create virtual BUG-ZAPPERS. If it detects an illegal-immigrant within 12 inches of the fence, they get a warning buzz… if the get within 6 inches of the fence ZZZZZZZZAAAAAAPPPPP!!!
Crispy Critter anyone?
Now there is an example where the government would have been better off leasing the fence and buying the tankers from Boeing. We had a good idea that the tankers would perform to specifications — the fence? Not so much.
With the Coyote-in-Chief, Juan McCain, Baksheesh Hussein Óbama, and Jillary Clintón all totally corrupt on enforcement of immigration laws, I wouldn’t look for any improvement soon.
CC, “delicate sensibilities”? Are you good with blowing up little kids as well as part of your master plan to secure the border? No legal or moral issues raised by killing border crossers on site. cRus, I’d be interested in your thoughts on that point also.
On April 23rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm, dakine said:
As for me, yea I am ok with that. If they are given sufficient warning, and continue forward (with their children) then they are to blame, not us. A few would probably die since they see us as weak on this issue (ie they take full advantage of our compassion). But rest assured, once word got out, illegal crossings woudl cease. This is an invasion and needs to stop by all means available. My compassion for them stopped about 29M illegals ago. And what kind of person drags their children across a desert?
They still celebrate the anniversary of the creation of velcro
The virtual fence could have worked if it was backed by real force. Unfortunately, if you are a border patrol agent, whether human or robotic, you cannot employ force to do anything other than repair holes in whatever barrier actually exists.
If the US Government really wanted to stop illegal immigration, then a real show of real force would have occurred years ago. Frankly, as things stand today, a show of force will not occur under any circumstances short of a military invasion by Mexico. As long as civilian illegals are involved, mostly passive measures will be taken. (Unfortunately, some of those civilian illegals are criminals and some are terrorist plants.)
I would like to point out one flaw in many arguments I have seen. It is the flaw of “it’s for or about the children”. The problem with this argument is that it assumes that children are not the responsibility of their parents but of some remote everyone. My take is that if you, as a parent, knowingly place your child in harms way – and the Muslim fanatics as well as the illegal border crossers do this all the time – then you are responsible for what happens to them if violence occurs.
Therefore, if you know that a shoot to kill order exists and you then put your child in a position to be a target or human shield, you should take the shame, humiliation and ugliness of your decisions with you to the grave and to the graves of your children.
All I want to see is the person(s) that signed off on this project get fired!! When the gvmt starts holding people accountable, maybe they will be more diligent in their decisions. (one can dream cant they)…..
If a parent takes a child into an area clearly marked as a minefield, any injury that results is 100% the fault of the parent. Or are you one of those people who believe the automaker should be sued when a parent leaves their kid in a locked car and he/she dies?
Every single bad thing that happens is not somebody elses fault. It’s called personal responsibility and it’s what made this country strong. The lack of it will be its downfall.
Using logic and fact with a liberal doesn’t work. It’s like throwing water on a cat. Blame Bush and they buy in.
If Bush/Rove really were responsible for even half of the things that the left credited them with, would you want to speak out against them?
?
Boeing?
$20 million?
A’virtual’ fence?
Just go ask Steve if he’s done with this one.
It’s real.
And it’d work (better’n what we’re getting).
hey michelle, serious question — if you indeed destest the dhs so much, why the hell do you accept their $$ so they can run banner ads at the top of your page?!
I’m glad they are scrapping it if it doesn’t work. If only they would do the same with Social Security, etc…