Blimps to Iraq
Very cool (low)technology as reported by
Defensetech:
bq. The Army is sending blimps to Iraq, to spot bad guys from the skies.
bq. Two 56,000-cubic-foot, tethered, "aerostats" will be ready to ship this summer, part of a Pentagon-wide push towards airships. The military likes the helium-filled crafts because they're cheap -- just $1.6 million each -- and because they can stay in the air much, much longer than regular airplanes or copters.
This is another example of the unmanned aircraft that are becoming very popular. Large stable platform, perfect for silently hovering over an area for long periods at a time quietly recording everything it can see. SigInt as well.
Cheap, there are no humans on board so losses are not critical. Technology is a fun thing!
Posted by DaveH at February 13, 2004 11:15 AM