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F16s for
Schools Program Announced
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President says "we must defend the
future of our nation."
Washington
9/2/03
The
president today outlined his plans to boost
the homeland security effort with the "F16s
for Schools Program." This initiative
aims to protect schools in priority areas
with a brand new purchase of these capable
aircraft.
Speaking at a conference on educational
standards, the president said "We
must defend the future of our nation by
whatever means necessary. We must ensure
that those areas that would be most hurt
by a terrorist attack are the best protected".
He then went on to identify the two states
to be used for the initial rollout of the
program, which will be Texas and Florida.
This, he explained, was "because
of the clear and present danger that is
posed by that part of the axis of evil which
is Cuba."
The new aircraft will be designated F-16E
and will be built by Lockheed Martin at
the estimated cost of $20 million per
unit. In addition to standard air-to-air
and air-to-surface munitions, the aircraft
will be fitted with infrared imaging cameras
connected to an advanced neural network
to enable truants to be tracked more efficiently,
plus an advanced leaflet-drop system for
distribution wholesome politcally sound material
to schoolyards, malls and play areas.
Asked on the difficulties of funding
such a large-scale project the president
replied, "for some time the buddy
system has been a key component of school
trips - the idea that one student looks
after another is a central pillar of our
educational system. We therefore propose
that Texas is buddied with Arkansas and
Florida with Tennessee."
Explaining how the system will work he
said "basically, Arkansas will pick
up the tab for Texas and fund its F16 program,
this will ensure that the program does not
impact on the finances of that state. However,
it is likely that some budgetary realignments
make have to take place in Arkansas to raise
the necessary funds and the Federal Government
suggests that it takes those funds directly
from the the over-bloated Arkansas education
budget.. this may mean that most schools
in that state will have to close, but it
will be a small price to pay to defend our
future."
Funding for the scheme will start in
the fourth quarter of 2003.
This article is http://www.homelandsecurity.gov@subj.com/dhs/f16s_for_schools.htm
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