Pentagon Intelligence Developing a $400k 'Revolutionary' Blimp

[bigtree]

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Thursday that it intends to spend $400 million to develop a giant dirigible that will float 65,000 feet above the Earth for 10 years, providing unblinking and intricate radar surveillance of the vehicles, planes and even people below.

"It is absolutely revolutionary," Werner J.A. Dahm, chief scientist for the Air Force, said of the proposed unmanned airship - describing it as a cross between a satellite and a spy plane.

The 450-foot-long craft would give the U.S. military a better understanding of an adversary's movements, habits and tactics, officials said. And the ability to constantly monitor small movements in a wide area - like the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, for example - would dramatically improve military intelligence.

"It is constant surveillance, uninterrupted," Dahm said. "When you only have a short time view - whether it is a few hours or a few days - that is not enough to put the picture together."

If successful, the dirigible - the brainchild of the Air Force and the Pentagon's research arm - could pave the way for a fleet . . .


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/03/12/20090312intel-airship0312-ON.html

[babylonsister]

1. $400M? Sigh. nt

[AlCzervik]

2. and it reads Ice Cube's a pimp?

yay more $$$ for shit.

How about some more $$$ for schools?

[MercutioATC]

3. DARPA...some of the best taxpayer money we spend.

Sure, it's "military spending", but DARPA projects often have great civilian applications, too.

[Canuckistanian]

4. That's a wonderful idea

Every country should get one.

That way, the world would know which countries are preparing to invade other countries. And which ambassadors are visiting which capitals for secret talks.

I say let's go for full disclosure for EVERY country in the world.

[w4rma]

5. It's a good idea. (nt)

[ddeclue]

6. This is revolutionary HOW???

It's a boondoggle and a waste of taxpayer dollars.

We have plenty of satellite coverage, UAV's and spy planes, we don't need more ability to spy on people from overhead.

We need more human intelligence and a better understanding of other countries cultures and motivations - you can't get that from a satellite (or blimp) photo.

Does anybody believe that any government with any ability whatsoever couldn't take down a blimp?

:eyes:

[AlCzervik]

8. The only thing that will be revolutionary about this blimp will be the price tag.

Northrop Grumman must be so excited, mo money, mo money, mo money.

[anigbrowl]

14. It's pretty cheap compared to a satellite

$400 m over 10 years actually sounds like decent value for a defense project. i can see all kinds of civilian benefits from such a technology, plus I can see the costs plummeting once it gets past the experimental stage.

[bahadir]

7. schools

what about education facilities?

[AlCzervik]

9. Schools, pffft, we're gettin a Blimp!

USA USA USA!

[Rincewind]

15. You want the Pentagon to run our schools? nt

[lovuian]

10. OMG this isn't the Super Bowl

these are goat herders

[goforit]

11. OMG!!!This is hilarious!!!!

[HeresyLives]

12. Well, that won't last long.

:eyes:

[greenkal]

13. Why doesn't Obama put a stop to this crap?

Seriously, rebuilding the Hindenburg in 2009 is just ridiculous.