Prisoners Help Build Patriot Missiles

[nalnn]

Source: Wired

This spring, the United Arab Emirates is expected to close a deal for $7 billion dollars’ worth of American arms. Nearly half of the cash will be spent on Patriot missiles, which cost as much as $5.9 million apiece.

But what makes those eye-popping sums even more shocking is that some of the workers manufacturing parts for those Patriot missiles are prisoners, earning as little as 23 cents an hour. (Credit Justin Rohrlich with the catch.)

The work is done by Unicor, previously known as Federal Prison Industries. It’s a government-owned corporation, established during the Depression, that employs about 20,000 inmates in 70 prisons to make everything from clothing to office furniture to solar panels to military electronics.

One of the company’s high-tech specialties: Patriot missile parts. “UNICOR/FPI supplies numerous electronic components and services for guided missiles, including the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile,” Unicor’s website explains. “We assemble and distribute the Intermediate Frequency Processor (IFP) for the PAC-3s seeker. The IFP receives and filters radio-frequency signals that guide the missile toward its target.”

Read more: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/prisoners-help-build-patriot-missiles/

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This is a very very bad idea.

[Beavker]

1. So our biggest/only industry (Weapons)

Is farmed out to prisoners for slave wages. Nice.

[madmax]

7. Isn't America GREAT or what? nt

[Politicalboi]

2. Just think how much we would have to sacrifice

If the "workers" got 25 cents an hour. :sarcasm:

[formercia]

3. Just like Werner VonBraun using slave labor to build V-2s

Like there isn't enough profit margin they can't afford to hire unemployed Techs.

This sucks so bad.

[nalnn]

4. That's what I thought too

Reminds me of Peenemunde.

[Blue_Tires]

5. shameful kick

[Brickbat]

6. Prisoner labor is disgusting.

Prisoner labor building missiles is beyond disgusting.

[fasttense]

8. Well how much closer to slave labor can our corporate aristocracy get? n/t

[jmowreader]

9. I thought prison industry was supposed to be a job training program

The problem with THIS contract is, the only places who will hire people who know how to make bombs won't hire people who've been to federal prison.

OTOH, this sounds like the perfect job for Bernie Madoff...