Billion dollar surveillance blimps will cover the I-95 corridor in US

[twilyth]

This is bound to go over really well with folks who are already fed up with govt surveillance but these drones are supposed to be only for missile defense.

Next week, residents in the Baltimore area will wake up to a major surprise: Two massive Army airships that will be visible from Interstate 95 for the next three years.

Tethered at the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground 25 miles northeast of Baltimore, the airships will quickly become an uncomfortable fact of life for Americans living in the Northeast. The massive airships, each about three times the size of a Goodyear blimp, are the latest in aerial surveillance.

The blimps, built by Raytheon and known as JLENS — Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor Systems — will defend against possible cruise missile attacks and other potential threats to Washington, DC and other East Coast cities through the use of extremely high-detailed radar imaging.

The two blimps will function in concert. One of them will provide constant 360-degree scanning, covering a circular area from North Carolina to central Ohio to upstate New York even as the blimp remains stationary over suburban Baltimore. The other will focus on more specific targets. All together, JLENS will be able to track missiles, aircraft, and drones in a 340-mile radius.

Neither blimp will carry weapons. But the surveillance they provide would be relayed to air, ground, and ship-based weapons which would be used to intercept an incoming cruise missile.

More at link - http://www.businessinsider.sg/army-launching-two-surveillance-blimps-next-week-2014-12

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Your hard-earned tax dollars going to waste.

Note how it doesn't say "secondary" capabilities but it does say primary. Probably means they do a whole lot more than spot cruise missiles. Remind me, when was the last time the east coast was attacked by a cruise missile. Never?

For those that don't know, I-95 is on the east coast of the USA going from Florida to Maine.

 

[Jack1n]

Your hard-earned tax dollars going to waste.

Note how it doesn't say "secondary" capabilities but it does say primary. Probably means they do a whole lot more than spot cruise missiles. Remind me, when was the last time the east coast was attacked by a cruise missile. Never?

For those that don't know, I-95 is on the east coast of the USA going from Florida to Maine.

With tension rising between the USA and Russia its better to have this and not need than the other way around.

 

[manofthem]

I'm on I-95 right now


Out of scope

 

[twilyth]

We know, check my youtube channel to see what you're doing.

WARNING: May not be suitable for younger viewers

 

[Tatty_Two]

Who you expecting to missile attack you?

 

[Xzibit]

Just cut the rope.

 

[twilyth]

Who you expecting to missile attack you?

That's a good question. My guess would be the main concern is either submarine launched cruise missiles which basically means Russia and possibly China or maybe shoulder mounted surface to air missiles. With all of the crap going on in Ukraine, who knows how many of those types of units have made it onto the black market.

The problem with the latter though is that those tend to be short range so I doubt that anything could be done if a launch were detected except pinpoint the exact location and maybe capture the people responsible.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

China wouldn't get close before the threat is neutralized (they're working on one nuclear submarine, the rest are diesel, and their surface ships would be sunk before or after an attack was launched). Russia is the only real threat and with their economy collapsing, us spending $1 billion in defense against something that would likely result in WW3 seems frivolous. It stinks of Reagan's "star wars" program. The only way this makes sense is if it completely replaces the aircraft that are doing the same job.

CIWS is the only weapon system that can stop shoulder-launched missiles and if you aren't on the boat it was shot at, not much chance of CIWS stopping it either.

 

[Tatty_Two]

It seems to me that unless every major city and every military installation as well as equipment manufacturers have this kind of protection it's fruitless in any case, does not sound like a Billion will stretch to that. In any case Russia is not really a threat, they have the Rhetoric, they have neither the will or the capability to mount any kind of attack on the US and sustain anything other than survival, in fact in my opinion even Europe is probably beyond them.

 

[Norton]

This system can probably track, and kill if it sees the need, the small drones that have been so problematic to airports, etc...

Better launch your quad copter from a friends house from now on.

 

[remixedcat]

Who you expecting to missile attack you?

North korea

 

[twilyth]

This system can probably track, and kill if it sees the need, the small drones that have been so problematic to airports, etc...

Better launch your quad copter from a friends house from now on.

LOL. I can see it now. Some kid flying his mylar kite over the Potomac and in comes a anti-aircraft missile to take it out. Whoosh, BAM!

MOOMMMIIIEEEE!!!

 

[vega22]

none of those places would send missiles over the atlantic at the states, they would all come from your west...

 

[MilkyWay]

It seems to be just another spending boost for defence contractors, to me its a fucking waste of money and strategically stupid. They are probably spying on people on the Eastern Seaboard lulz. Don't they have radar and sonar and other cool shit to shoot down missiles on boats that could patrol the coast line? Oh but wait then you can't spy on people and these probably cost more.

At the least it's unmanned so its probably cheap to maintain and run if a bit stupid.

 

[Solaris17]

How does this even go through do they slip this into a bill or something that raises the budget for this stupid shit?

 

[Steevo]

Next they will be offering Wifi service off it, as long as big brother get to spy on what you are doing of course.


Chocolate rations are being increased

 

[AsRock]

Wait till some one find's it fun to hack in to one of them and please don't say it can never happen lol.

Other wise it make me think of WW1\2

 

[twilyth]

This isn't just for the east coast folks. Ohio gets some much deserved love too. LOL

The two blimps will function in concert. One of them will provide constant 360-degree scanning, covering a circular area from North Carolina to central Ohio to upstate New York even as the blimp remains stationary over suburban Baltimore. The other will focus on more specific targets. All together, JLENS will be able to track missiles, aircraft, and drones in a 340-mile radius.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Sub'd for the laughs!

 

[FordGT90Concept]

This isn't just for the east coast folks. Ohio gets some much deserved love too. LOL

340-mile radius...am I the only one that finds that pathetic? Also, propulsion? I don't see any signs of any kind of motor on there. Is it tethered and never moves? I predict collisions. That's the great thing about aircraft...no tether. What if there is no available interceptors in range of the Fire Control RADAR balloon? Nothing, that's what.

Fun fact: that picture is of Cain venant de tuer son frére Abel by Henri Vidal in 1896. The first what-we'd-call-a-blimp airship took flight in 1884 (La France). Besides the surprising side-fact that both of these things are French and the electronic gizmos, this would have been at home a century ago. Way to forward think, Raytheon!

 

[RealNeil]

If you see them on the East Coast, it will not be long before they're out West. (down South,.......Up North)

 

[FordGT90Concept]

If you see them on the East Coast, it will not be long before they're out West. (down South,.......Up North)

Yeah, nevermind the part in the middle. They're all higher than a kite...or a blimp in this case.

 

[OneMoar]

somebody will be taking pot shots at at it ...
idiotic ...

 

[RealNeil]

Yeah, nevermind the part in the middle. They're all higher than a kite...or a blimp in this case.

Their reason for having them is to prevent offshore/beyond our borders attacks. (or see them quicker)
Middle doesn't matter for that.

I can see a small plane smacking into one of the cables and causing a National meltdown.

 

[Lopez0101]

Just FYI, these most definitely have cameras on them. I saw several of these (or very similar) in Afghan and they were used for surveillence. And yes, they're tethered to the ground and not meant to move around.

And besides, I thought that's what the whole point of the anti-missile Patriot batteries are for. Just more pointless fear mongering.