OT-Giant Army Blimps?

[crsutton]

I did not know about these.

http://wtop.com/41/3220906/Giant-milita ... berdeen-Md

[Gunner98]

Not sure about these particular ones but they are used quite a bit these days, they are tethered above camps with all sorts of sensors etc on them. Only real problem is wind, once they rip free of the tether, who knows where all that sensor stuff will end up...

BG

[obvert]

Here's a video of one. I didn't know about these either, but there it is. Looks a bit like a giant catfish.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9472952/US-Army-tests-new-blimp-like-military-airship.html

Lots of excited locals whooping in the background.

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Here's a video of one. I didn't know about these either, but there it is. Looks a bit like a giant catfish.

That's the LEMV, which has a different purpose. The two coming to Aberdeen are JLENS, and has primarily an anti-aircraft/anti-missile role (it can track vehicles and seacraft too, albeit not so well in the civilian environment). Essentially it's just another data feed into your local fire control system in the DC area. And if anyone thinks there isn't a fully operational center in the nation's capital, think again. (Hint: I do this for a living)

[crsutton]

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

[guytipton41]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

Hi CRS,

We had an aerostat above Camp Victory in Baghdad and I don't recall it every being winched down even for bad windstorms. But I was only there for a month or so. The major use for this one was LOS radio relay for convoy comm.

Cheers,
Guy

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ohh the humanity!

[Gunner98]

We were losing quite a few during the winter in Afghanistan, the high winds through the mountain passes played havoc with them, but they were all at a relatively low alt. They were great as long as the winds were predictable enough to get them down in time, but I suspect a few of them ended up in China once they broke lose...[X(] Nothing like the ones in the original post, they look interesting.

BG

[lexo1014]

Hey Guytipton41 when were you at the VBC? i was there 09-11.
Yea we had 1 there and like 1 near every camp in the vbc i think i saw 5-6 in total,,seemed tho they were pretty close to where the C-RAM's were placed.

[AW1Steve]

"Aero stats" have been around since the 1980's (for the war on drugs, etc). There was one in Central Florida that had to be watched out for. You don't want to fly into one at 8000'. [X(]

[Blackhorse]

ORIGINAL: guytipton41

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

Hi CRS,

We had an aerostat above Camp Victory in Baghdad and I don't recall it every being winched down even for bad windstorms. But I was only there for a month or so. The major use for this one was LOS radio relay for convoy comm.

Cheers,
Guy

I was in Baghdad/ Iraq for much of 2005. You are correct - the aerostats stayed up through sandstorms and all weathers.

In terms of protecting my hide, I thought the most valuable use was the telemetry for artillery tracking. Before the blimps went up, the insurgents would, from time to tome, set up a mortar or a rocket launcher in one of the maze of nearby neighborhoods and lob several rounds into the "green zone." After the telemetry was airborne, the insurgents learned to 'shoot and scoot' -- generally firing one round, then abandoning the mortar, or firing it off the bed of a pickup truck and driving away. Our guys could have counter-battery fire underway, or helicopters vectored to the launch site, before the first round landed.

[guytipton41]

ORIGINAL: lexo1014

Hey Guytipton41 when were you at the VBC? i was there 09-11.
Yea we had 1 there and like 1 near every camp in the vbc i think i saw 5-6 in total,,seemed tho they were pretty close to where the C-RAM's were placed.

Hi Lexo,

I was there in '04, '06 and '08. But don't be impressed - I was a HQ puke working out of the 'Deid. Most of the time I was in the rear with the Cuban cigars and Chivas Regal. OMG, when I was at the 'Deid in '08 the permanent party folks were allowed to keep liquor in their rooms! So much for GO1.

Cheers,
Guy

Ps. Notice the $#!+ eating grin... I think this was '06. And yes, that's a gold plated MP5.

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: lexo1014

Hey Guytipton41 when were you at the VBC? i was there 09-11.

If you were in Afghanistan on 9-11, than Lucy got some 'splainin to do! [;)]