The
Department of Defense U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and
the U.S. Embassy in Paris requested that the Guardian
attend the air show. EUCOM is providing strategic airlift
of the Guardian from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to Le Bourget,
France, onboard a U.S. Air Force C-17.
On
June 19, the air show will open to Congressional delegations.
The trade show will be open to military and trade officials
June 20. The show is open to the general public June 24
where more than 140 aircraft will be on display and 2,000
international exhibitors and 88 countries will be represented.
The
Paris Air Show presents a special opportunity to demonstrate
the capabilities of the UAS to support homeland security
missions and reinforce industry and government awareness
of the significant role CBP aviation plays in securing
our nation.
The
Guardian began operational testing and evaluation in Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station in February 2010 and began
conducting missions in April.
CBP
procured the remotely-piloted aircraft to enhance the
agency's long-range maritime surveillance, detection and
targeting capabilities in the source and transit zones
of the Eastern Pacific, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico,
as well as support anti-terror efforts along maritime
smuggling routes.
Currently,
CBP has five Predator B aircraft and two Guardian aircraft
operating from strategic locations around the United States.
Two additional Predator B aircraft are scheduled for delivery
by December and third Guardian is scheduled for delivery
in early 2012.
Since
the inception of the CBP UAS program, the Office of Air
and Marine has flown more than 10,000 hours, responding
to requests for support from CBP ground agents and in
support of CBP partners in disaster relief and emergency
response, including various state governments and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
This
past spring, the agency was honored with a the Aviation
Week and Space Technology Laureate Award, for innovation
and pioneering work in successfully adopting a marine
search radar to an unmanned aircraft.