News U.S. Military Radar Blimp Goes A.W.O.L.

[Loru]

While I'm no expert 2.8 billion for a blimp seems to me bit excessive even for a radar platform.

To quote USA today:

It's an integral part of a $2.7 billion system.

 

[Quick_Nick]

To its credit, the system is capable of guarding an enormous region.
...Though its actual purpose is guarding a couple of buildings or so.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Some reports from more reliable sources I've seen indicate that it may have a Gorgon Stare-type system aboard, in addition to the radar.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Some reports from more reliable sources I've seen indicate that it may have a Gorgon Stare-type system aboard, in addition to the radar.

Raytheon says their blimp is capable of tracking individual vehicles but makes a point of saying that it cannot identify individual people.

 

[Linguofreak]

I think we need a national registry for experts. A lot of "experts" are idiots that can't tie their own shoes.

Murphy's law dictates that the idiots would end up in the national registry and the actual experts would be excluded.

 

[Urwumpe]

I have a self-made certificate for being German Middle-East expert, must I register as well?

 

[kerlix]

Jesus, Lana, the helium!

I just watched the episode 2 nights ago. Timing = Perfect

 

[n122vu]

To its credit, the system is capable of guarding an enormous region.
...Though its actual purpose is guarding a couple of buildings or so.

Pretty insane that it can cover an area larger than the state of Texas.

You know what else is larger than the state of Texas? Alaska.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

So does this mean the project is deflated?

 

[Hielor]

Pretty insane that it can cover an area larger than the state of Texas.

You know what else is larger than the state of Texas? Alaska.

It's the size of Texas, Mr. President.

 

[Andy44]

Before the thing even landed the news was putting all kinds of scrutiny on the program and how crazy expensive it is. Turns out a reporter for the LA Times did a write up on it very recently: http://graphics.latimes.com/missile-defense-jlens/

His phone was ringing off the hook yesterday.

---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 PM ----------

Also, I saw one of these blimps in the sky, maybe that very one, a few weeks ago while riding a train from DC to Philadelphia. The railroad goes right past Aberdeen Proving Grounds.