Posted on 12/17/2014 7:16:29 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
U.S. Air Force Col. William Pitts stands in front of an unmanned aerostat that is part of a new U.S. military cruise-missile defense system during a media preview on Dec. 17, 2014, in Middle River, Md.
Patrick Semansky/AP
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MIDDLE RIVER, Md. -- The Army showed off a blimp-like airship Wednesday that is designed to help the military detect and destroy cruise missiles speeding toward the nation's capital or other major East Coast cities.
The radar-toting vehicle will be launched next week as part of a three-year test of the system at Aberdeen Proving Ground, about 25 miles northeast of Baltimore.
When fully deployed next spring, the system will feature two, unmanned, helium-filled aerostats, tethered to concrete pads 4 miles apart. They'll float at an altitude of 10,000 feet, about one-third as high as a commercial airliner's cruising altitude.
One balloon will continuously scan in a circle from upstate New York to North Carolina's Outer Banks, and as far west as central Ohio. The other will carry precision radar to help the military on the ground to pinpoint targets.
(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...
Every military blimp made was lost or destroyed and many good men died - never was a good idea.
The exception being USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), the only rigid airship attending her own decommissioning ceremony.
One can't help but be fascinated by those magnificent men and their flying machines from Flying Aircraft Carriers - USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5).
Cheers,
OLA
Shows the lag. Was a time when that system would have worked against subsonic missiles, but that was a decade ago. Newer sea launched missiles are hypersonic with ranges up to 1000km. These would be on target by the time they were detected. We really do not have a good or even workable defense against this type of missile for our ships, let alone an entire coastline.
Bad idea and waste of money, unless system has another purpose entirely ...
If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.
The one at Ft Huachuca, AZ went operational in 1986 and has been so ever since.
I believe that if we came under an ICBM and Cruse Missle attack that the POS in the White House would dither and never have the ball$ to respond!
We have that very platform stationed at three sites along the US/Mexico border - Ft. Huachuca, AZ; Deming, NM; and Marfa, TX.
Thats it. That must be one tough cable to suffer no damage after cutting the wing off an airplane.
“the POS in the White House would dither and never have the ball$ to respond!”
Sure he would! He’d rush to the golf links out of the attack zone. Besides, we have plenty of cities and our mil needs to get smaller, the general population as well. Bigger gated estates and more servants for the privileged elite would be the outcome.
“the POS in the White House would dither and never have the ball$ to respond!”
Sure he would! He’d rush to the golf links out of the attack zone. Besides, we have plenty of cities and our mil needs to get smaller, the general population as well. Bigger gated estates and more servants for the privileged elite would be the outcome.
My understanding is that DHS which includes the Cost Guard and Customs and Border Protection aircraft are responsible for air space protection bellow either 50K or 60K I can't remember which.
The USAF is responsible for all fast movers above commercial altitude. They all share the same radar feeds from the FAA and other platforms.
DHS has been using Aerostats along the southern border for decades with mixed results.
Thanks for the correction. Very colorful but sad history concerning the military blimps/zeps and the men involved in that service.
Does it advertise in A-rab?
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