Technology

U.S. Military Adds Surveillance Blimps to War on Terror Arsenal

The United States military is poised to unveil one of its most effective weapons yet in the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Unlike many in America’s arsenal, however, this new military tool poses a different kind of threat to the enemy. Instead of heavy firepower, America’s new surveillance blimps will be armed with new and extremely powerful computing technology to give soldiers on the ground a significant leg up in monitoring enemy combatants and their operations.

Launching now are 80-foot blimps set to monitor enemies with such advanced surveillance technology, they can track incoming enemy fire and simultaneously relay location information to troops on the ground.

“If it saves one life, it’s worth it,” says Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Howard, product spokesman for the U.S. Army.

Fox News took a look at the new blimp program Thursday:

These blimps may be the start of a whole new trend in battlefield surveillance using blimp technology.

Various U.S. planes already capture surveillance footage from high above Afghanistan while others monitor cell phone and walkie-talkie communications. But for the first time, the Air Force’s “Blue Devil” surveillance program is poised to coordinate the two efforts to shorten response time to allow U.S. forces to reach enemies before they have a chance to flee. Up to a dozen different sensors all floating on a single blimp will be able to relay the coordinated information to ground troops in less than 15 seconds.

“It could change the nature of overhead surveillance,” retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula told Wired. “There’s huge potential there.”

U.S. Military Adds Surveillance Blimps to War on Terror Arsenal

The "Blue Devil" (Image: Wired)

The “Blue Devil” blimp is planned to launch this fall — one of the largest airships produced since World War II, about seven times the size of the Goodyear Blimp.

The Air Force hopes that the extra size should give it enough fuel and helium to stay aloft nearly four miles above the earth’s surface for as much as a week at a time.

Comments (70)

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  • MUDFLAPS
    Posted on March 4, 2011 at 11:26am

    coming to a town near you.

    Report Post »  
  • Sinista Mace
    Posted on March 4, 2011 at 8:41am

    First, they’ll use it over there, next thing you know, it’s hovering over YOUR house.

    Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
  • michaelhandley
    Posted on March 4, 2011 at 12:20am

    You folks have no idea what you are talking about. My Father flew blimps in WWII off the Atlantic. Not one American ship was sunk while being escourted by a blimp. They can stay in the air for days at a time and they don‘t use hydrogen so they won’t blow up. They are a very stable platform for spy instruments and they aren’t manned so no human lives are in danger. Also our military has the assets to protect them from enemy attack. I agree that we probably ought to get out of the Middle East because we are fighting a Political war while our enemies are fighting a Religious war. We can’t win that one. It’s up to them to decide hiow much they are willing to put up with from their dictators.
    Bring the boys home. Declare a National Energy Emergency. Suspend the EPA and drill right here, right now. All the oilmen I have talked to say they can bring in a well in about 4 months if the Government would just get off their backs, That way the only asset we need to protect in the Middle East is Isreal. With our logistical support they can get the job done by themselves.

    Report Post »  
  • PunditPawn
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:54pm

    Uh, looks like the disinformation folks are hard at work after all. “Hey, I know. Let’s tell them were going to put up these huge blimps… we‘ll pretend they’re really high-tech, too. It will catch the enemy off guard when they think they can shoot down these easy targets.”

    Seriously, the only thing missing is the smiley face painted on the side of the blimp so not to offend the enemy.

    Report Post »  
  • mcFirst
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:50pm

    It actually is the new Google Search Term Aggregation Unit. It also connects to any open wireless network and sniffs packets for more search terms.

    Report Post » mcFirst  
  • BIGJAYINPA
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:24pm

    I suppose it is just a coincedence that a story about a blimp is opposite a story about Fat Boy Micheal More. But I must admit I found it to be a funny occurance, nonetheless.

    Report Post » BIGJAYINPA  
  • Deutscher
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:10pm

    Didn’t they use a similar technology in the civil war?
    It is far from a new technology but hey whatever works.

    Report Post »  
  • old-dude
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:09pm

    Wow! What a bulbous appearance. I hadn’t heard Charley Rangel was leaving the Congress early!

    Or is this just his ego?

    Report Post »  
  • J Dubs
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:52pm

    I’m not sure what the big deal is, these things have been flying at US bases in Iraq for some time now as surveillance. They are if nothing else combat tested.

    Report Post »  
  • TOPOFTHEGAME
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:20pm

    How about sending some to our Mexican border in Texas,Arizona and California

    Report Post »  
    • michaelhandley
      Posted on March 4, 2011 at 12:23am

      Do your really thin Obama wants to do anything to disturb the flow of potential Democratic voters into the USA???

      Report Post »  
  • hownowbrownmao
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:15pm

    really? no seriously, REALLY?

    Report Post »  
  • ares338
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:00pm

    I hope they didn’t name it “The Hindenburg”

    Report Post » ares338  
  • Stoic one
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:59pm

    ROFLMAO …..!!!!!!

    LOL…!!!!!!!

    Deep breath come on breathe deep

    LOL !!!

    ROFLMAO !!

    Report Post » Stoic one  
  • 5410amh
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:48pm

    I bet they’re real easy to shoot down, think about it it’s a mighty big target.

    Report Post »  
    • tankerBigRed1
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:54pm

      W / what @ that height? don’t think teleban have planes – tank would – if they have any left-

      Report Post » tankerBigRed1  
    • Psychosis
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:08pm

      not that easy, plus they want them to be shot at because they are fitted with sensors to locate the shots

      and the equal pressures on the inside and outside of the balloon will minimize deflation

      Report Post » Psychosis  
    • marine249
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:40pm

      i would love to see a tank that able to shoot 4 miles

      Report Post »  
    • tankerBigRed1
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 11:38pm

      Marine249- 105 on M60 will shoot 25 miles cross land & arc 21 miles high- not used that way as barrel wear is prohibitive..

      Report Post » tankerBigRed1  
  • tankerBigRed1
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:33pm

    What kind of heat do you have that reach reach 4 miles up?

    Report Post » tankerBigRed1  
    • wkw58
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:42pm

      SA-2 in the backyard

      Report Post » wkw58  
    • tankerBigRed1
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:52pm

      Don’t think helium & plastic will give heat seekers much to home in on. could be wrong?

      Report Post » tankerBigRed1  
  • SlimnRanger
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:31pm

    bring all our troops home,we have our own war here going on .work from within then go out after this nation is secure and safe,fire,impeach Obama ,Holder, nappypalemeto,(misspelled on purpose) and several more they are enimies to this great nation

    Report Post »  
    • tankerBigRed1
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 11:28pm

      @ marine249-The 105 0n M60 will shoot 25 miles cross land & aprox 21 miles high- dats why the tank ranges are out bout 30 mi & shoot back twords main post.

      Report Post » tankerBigRed1  
  • Eblaze44
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:30pm

    Nice big target. don’t even need to be an expert to hit a blimp that size. another waste of tax payer money.

    the troops don’t have their hands tied behind their backs, they are guarding their wallets. they are not, much to many Americans belief, volunteers. they are in fact hired mercenaries. Many of which, just like their congressmen/women and senators, that have never read the Constitution of the United States which they are sworn to protect and defend.

    Report Post » Eblaze44  
    • Psychosis
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:06pm

      actually at the height these will be flown at you will have a hard time hitting one, and besides that they actually want them shot at as they will be equipped with location direction finders that will locate the origination of the shots

      plus, the pressure from the outside air, and the helium inside the balloon is very close, so it wont leak like you would think it would ……………………balloons have come a long way.this is actually a great idea, and at a huge cost and operating SAVINGS compared to unmanned drones thousands compared to hundreds

      Report Post » Psychosis  
    • Tipdog
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:12pm

      Furthermore, they are supposed to be able to take direct missile and rocket strikes. So that considered with the altitude of the ship, makes complete sense.

      Report Post » Tipdog  
  • reckless
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:09pm

    Sounds like target practice to me. If they can keep a blimp from deflating over a war zone, I want to buy some tires for my truck from these guys.

    Report Post »  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 10:49pm

      Take one Mig and one Blimp. Put the Blimp in the sky above any country, then ask it to go up against an incoming Mig. Can you guess the outcome?

      http://www.americasteapartynews.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • Wilkins
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 11:48pm

      Let me guess patriotdave. The enemy spends many tens of thousands to attack your unmanned balloon that’s worth maybe a few grand. Their multi-million dollar airplane and expensively trained pilot are then targeted a brace of US air superiority fighters.

      US pilots light up a couple of stogies. Raven Aerostar sells a replacement made-in-USA blimp to Uncle Sam.

      Anything I’m missing?

      Report Post »  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:06pm

    I‘ll be happy when I hear we are using this technology and when our troops don’t have their hands tied behind their backs.

    The Traitor-in-Chief needs to step down.

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:02pm

    The war on terror is right here in the US, we can start by wiping the people out in the AFL-CIO these are communist who have taken over our Unions and schools with there reading material, and the teachers are being played by the communist just like the police, and fire fighters, how stupid can these people be to not know that they are in the control of communist.

    Report Post »  
  • tinydd
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 7:58pm

    And the Technology comes from a company in South Dakota, NOT the US Gov‘t who couldn’t design a party ballon without over-regulating it.

    Report Post »  
    • Showtime
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:26pm

      A COMPANY? Capitalism at work? A job producer?

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • Creestof
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:49pm

      And the cost to make them will be free…as long as they agree to have “TROJANS” on both sides.

      Report Post »  
  • etetetet
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 7:55pm

    Well, Balloon Head Chris Matthews ought to feel like his with a brother when he does this story.

    Report Post »  
    • etetetet
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:03pm

      he’s with – these keyboards can’t type worth a damn somedays :)
      hev e grate knite Blazers

      Report Post »  
  • silveracer44
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 7:55pm

    Bring all the troops home now! Time to circle the wagon before SHTF out there. I mean all of them.

    Report Post »  
    • American Soldier (Separated)
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:12pm

      I’m with you 100%

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • Showtime
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:24pm

      And round up the terrorists, illegals, drug cartels and cells, and anyone else that is posing as an American but who is a foreign national, and DEPORT them!

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • American Soldier (Separated)
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:26pm

      Hope you’re not advocating violating Posse Comitatus. We can do those things without active duty armed forces.

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • Creestof
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:47pm

      From Wikipedia –
      On March 10, 2009, active duty Army military police troops from Fort Rucker were deployed to Samson, Alabama in response to a murder spree. Samson officials confirmed that the soldiers assisted in traffic control and securing the crime scene. The governor of Alabama did not request military assistance nor did President Obama authorize their deployment. Subsequent investigation found that the Posse Comitatus Act was violated and several military members received “administrative actions.”

      Report Post »  
    • CanteenBoy
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 11:26pm

      And what, sir/madam, would you have them all do once you brought them all home? Maybe one on every street corner in every city in America?

      Report Post » CanteenBoy  
  • thepatriotdave
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 7:49pm

    Lord help us. Now we are going to use balloons?

    I want to know what we are going to use on our Southern border!

    http://www.americasteapartynews.com

    Report Post » thepatriotdave  
  • cheezwhiz
    Posted on March 3, 2011 at 7:48pm

    But the soldiers will still have one hand tied behind their back, right ?

    Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • Non-sequitur
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:02pm

      If by that you mean “Are discouraged from killing all women and children and not just most of them”, then yes.

       
    • American Soldier (Separated)
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:08pm

      Bring the troops home. Even if saves just one soldiers life, isn’t it worth it?

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:13pm

      The also just released that they are bringing back Bi-planes. Soon we will be back to trench warfare. And after all the oil dries up. Back to chariots, the Air Force is just looking ahead, or as Keith Olberman liked to say, leaning forward.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Creestof
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:34pm

      Easy guys…this will just be a “base camp” for all those new 4 million dollar Hummingbird Spy Cameras…they have to have someple to rest…and have their AA batteries changed out.

      Report Post »  
    • Creestof
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:39pm

      I can just hear it:

      “Cap’n! Cap’n! There’s a $50 million dollar enemy jet on our 6 and closing!”

      “Evasive manuevers! Evasive manuevers!”

      Crew climbs outside and begins to paint “G O O D Y E A R” on its sides…lol!

      Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:50pm

      just get our troops off the ground and begin a gravel pit formation operation with on weeks notice. get rid of all the old tech weapons first then go on up the roster.

      we have all this great weapons technology….. so let us use it….

      yuk yuk

      Report Post » Stoic one  
    • GBMBulletsSKNRD
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 8:57pm

      I can’t understand why everyone is bashing this. It is cheap and it kills the bad guy. In other words you see it, shoot at it, it finds you, you have about 15 seconds and you are dead, we kill you.

      Report Post »  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:02pm

      too much activity for the satellites, huh? and is this, too, a big investment for the Soros clan,,,?

      Report Post »  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:07pm

      There is a problem with it. Blimps tend to not work in high winds. I know people that have been to the middleeast, they get high winds there, all the time. Also, they are slow and can be seen miles away, thus, a ground missle can shoot it down, even so if our enemy has airplanes. So, blimps went away for many reasons, revisiing a 2 century old idea may not be the smartest use of DoD funds, as limited as they are becoming.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • mort
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 9:52pm

      Really, this idiot really thinks our military goes out to try and kill women & children, well sad, but the bad guys hide behind and use women & children, so yes some do get killed and some are trying to kill our military. It would be much safer for us to just carpet bomb the whole area and start over, but we are trying to spare the women & children. These lefty people just drive me nuts sometimes.

      Report Post » mort  
    • AzDebi
      Posted on March 3, 2011 at 11:22pm

      Wanna bet those surveillance blimps are made by GE? Last thing Obama would EVER do is ANYTHING to support our troops…I say it’s about time the REAL Democrats get together and FORCE that impostor to QUIT! He doesn’t like the job anyway…I think he’s long since realized that he is in WAY OVER HIS HEAD…shoot, he knows that the rest of his life is smooth sailing…what’s he got to lose? He’s already done untold damage…wasn’t that his intent? Of course it was…Time for him to GO!

      Report Post » AzDebi  
    • White Devil
      Posted on March 4, 2011 at 12:21pm

      How many are going to be deployed on our southern border?…oh yeah ZERO!

      Report Post » White Devil  
    • Miljunk
      Posted on March 4, 2011 at 2:21pm

      I just wanted to point out that these blimps have been in Iraq since at least 2005 and on top of that they are tethered in place; they are stationary. Also the last post on the second page gives good credence to why these are a good addition to the U.S. Military

      Report Post »  
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