Blimps over DC

dell30rb

dell30rb

Final Approach
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if America is attacked, we might be saved by blimps. No, not state-of-the-art jet fighters that can fly well beyond the speed of sound. But blimps: lumbering, relatively jovial blimps—the manatees of aviation.
Within a year, a pair of souped-up $2.7 billion blimps (price includes R&D) will be floated 10,000 feet above the District of Columbia and act as a 340-mile-wide eye in the sky, detecting incoming missiles and the like.

The blimps, or aerostats as they are technically called, are 77 yards long, and have a range of 340 miles. They fly at 10,000 feet for 30 days at time.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/nati...they-re-here-to-stop-cruise-missiles-20130726
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How are these things going to deal with storms? 10,000 feet is a pretty vulnerable altitude. What if a derecho comes sweeping through?
 
Storms and winds destroyed many of the early lighter than air craft. Can't really say.
 
Swinging that dead cat again, are they?
Go back to the periodicals published since the early 1900's and regular as clockwork we will have flying machines in our driveways, blimps (or dirigibles) protecting our skies and no more sickness or disease.
A bunch of politicians and business people will line their pockets with our money, then slink off and hide under a rock until they can pull the scam again.
 
Shepherd said:
Swinging that dead cat again, are they?
Go back to the periodicals published since the early 1900's and regular as clockwork we will have flying machines in our driveways, blimps (or dirigibles) protecting our skies and no more sickness or disease.
A bunch of politicians and business people will line their pockets with our money, then slink off and hide under a rock until they can pull the scam again.
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Too late - looks like they've already spent over $2.5 billion on this project. Originally planned for 12 craft but blew their R&D budget so now it is down to deploying 2. Nothing in the unclassified report that article links to shows any all-weather testing. At least not that I can see.

It takes a lot of talent to spend that kind of money on a well understood technology (the LTA part, anyway.)
 
And one might ask what is so special about DC that it needs such protection? Admittedly protecting the Smithsonian comes to mind, but there are other cities with outstanding museums that are not getting high tech blimp protection.
 
dell30rb said:
How are these things going to deal with storms? 10,000 feet is a pretty vulnerable altitude. What if a derecho comes sweeping through?
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Now that's just crazy talk. They'll just pull them down in those conditions 'cuz everyone knows terrists won't do anything when the weather's bad.:wink2::wink2:
 
Don't tell anyone but the real reason for the balloons is so drone operators can slalom them and pretend they are redbull air race pilots. Shhhhh it is a secret.
 
they actually called them the manatees of aviation, lol.

images
 
steingar said:
And one might ask what is so special about DC that it needs such protection? Admittedly protecting the Smithsonian comes to mind, but there are other cities with outstanding museums that are not getting high tech blimp protection.
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Where's that "LIKE" button like Facebook has when you need it? :yes:
 
Not a blimp. They are aerostat's. Without any means of steering and power, they aren't a dirigible.
 
Do we still have the drug aerostats down South? Used to be one in FL and some in TX.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Do we still have the drug aerostats down South? Used to be one in FL and some in TX.
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As far as I know, yes. There was at one point a plan to shut them down, but AFAIK, they cancelled that. I know that there is one in Florida. A couple in Texas, one in Deming, NM, and at least one in Arizona.
 
AdamZ said:
Don't we have satellites that can do the same thing over a greater distance?
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This looks to be a military tactical or theater level surveillance and weapons guidance system. The "protect DC" angle appears to my cynical eyes to be a way to continue funding by showing how it can protect the asses of those who decide its future funding. Quote of the mission description from the unclassified report:
JLENS is a supporting program of the Army and Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense, providing a persistent surveillance and tracking capability for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Cruise Missile defense to the current and projected defense forces. JLENS will provide fire control quality data to Surface to Air missile systems such as ArmyPatriot and Navy Aegis, increasing the weapons' capabilities by allowing these systems to engage targets normally below, outside, or beyond surface based weapons' field of view. Additionally, JLENS provides this fire control quality data to fighter aircraft allowing them to engage hostile threats from extended ranges.

JLENS also detects and tracks Surface Moving Targets, and provides this data on multiple networks. JLENS provides Launch Point Estimate for Tactical Ballistic Missiles and Large Caliber Rockets. JLENS supports military operations across the full spectrum of conflict.

A JLENS Orbit consists of two systems: a Fire Control Radar system and a wide-area Surveillance Radar system. Each radar system employs a separate 74-meter tethered aerostat, mobile mooring station, radar and communications payload, processing station, and associated ground support equipment. JLENS uses advanced sensor and networking technologies to provide 360-degree, wide-area surveillance and precision target tracking. This JLENS information is distributed via joint service networks and contributes to the development of a single integrated air picture.
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The australians have us beat. This is the LTA ship they have floating over their capital Canberra:
 

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$2.7 billion for blimp. A damned blimp. You can fancy up the name but that really does not change the fact that it is ancient tech that should not have cost us $2.7 bill.
And the government STILL hasn't fixed the budget. Wonder why.
 
silver-eagle said:
$2.7 billion for blimp. A damned blimp. You can fancy up the name but that really does not change the fact that it is ancient tech that should not have cost us $2.7 bill.
And the government STILL hasn't fixed the budget. Wonder why.
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Not to mention many of us wouldn't care in the slightest if DC were wiped off the planet. Saying it in public probably gets you on some watch list somewhere. No malicious intent here but wouldn't cry any tears.
 
One of APGs JLENS is missing.
 
It's over Penn. now...
 
yup....:D

and technically it was moored and loosed from Aberdeen Proving grounds....not DC.
 
"People are warned to keep a safe distance from the airship and tether as contact with them may present significant danger."
Wait, What? I thought this stuff was to make us safer. I demand an anti blimp blimp protection system. We need a chain of blimps moored downwind of the JLENS blimps that have suspended beneath them a giant blimp catching net. So this never happens again.
 
Phoenix said:
"People are warned to keep a safe distance from the airship and tether as contact with them may present significant danger."
Wait, What? I thought this stuff was to make us safer. I demand an anti blimp blimp protection system. We need a chain of blimps moored downwind of the JLENS blimps that have suspended beneath them a giant blimp catching net. So this never happens again.
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Have you ever thought about running for office?
 
This is the latest CNN front page headline: "NORAD blimp breaks loose. F-16's scrambled to track Maryland based surveillance aircraft".

They scrambled Vipers to chase down a rogue blimp......who made THAT call?

I can only imagine how silly the Viper drivers are feeling circling that stupid thing.....
 
They make great VFR navigation "landmarks." Can see your destination 50 miles out with a JLENS poking up.
 
Fearless Tower said:
This is the latest CNN front page headline: "NORAD blimp breaks loose. F-16's scrambled to track Maryland based surveillance aircraft".
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We obviously need to devise a surveillance system to keep an eye on our surveillance system.
 
Its in a tree. The same fate as so many of my kites and RC airplanes...

CSbhekVUYAEVI1V.jpg
 
Fearless Tower said:
This is the latest CNN front page headline: "NORAD blimp breaks loose. F-16's scrambled to track Maryland based surveillance aircraft".

They scrambled Vipers to chase down a rogue blimp......who made THAT call?

I can only imagine how silly the Viper drivers are feeling circling that stupid thing.....
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Well, they might have needed to shoot it down...

(Yes, really, that was what one guy said on the radio).
 
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