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Newsjock

(11,733 posts)
Wed Jul 24, 2013, 02:35 PM Jul 2013

Army's Giant Surveillance Blimp to Start Tracking Objects in DC Region

Source: Defense News

While Congress debates the merits of spending tens of millions of dollars to add missile interceptors on the East Coast while increasing the number already in place out West, a long-running developmental Army radar system is packing up and heading for Maryland.

From May 4 to June 14, Raytheon’s JLENS, or Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System, was put through its paces by about 100 soldiers during user assessment tests out in Utah, but the company announced today that the 74-foot-high tethered airship is now headed to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland for a more ambitious operational assessment run by the US Northern Command.

The soldiers who were trained up to use the system in Utah will make the trip with the airship, but since JLENS will be running on a 24/7 basis once on the East Coast—and tracking anything that flies, drives, or floats near the National Capital Region—more soldiers will be trained to operate it before the assessments kick off in 2014.

Read more: http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2013/07/armys-giant-surveillance-blimp-to-start-tracking-objects-in-dc-region

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Army's Giant Surveillance Blimp to Start Tracking Objects in DC Region (Original Post) Newsjock Jul 2013 OP
They floated those Limbaughs near Horseshoe Beach, FL to intercept drugs. really worked. Eleanors38 Jul 2013 #1
wtf? bunnies Jul 2013 #2
Look, up in the sky, it's a bird. It's a plane. Oh noes, it's a freaking Evil Blimp Berlum Jul 2013 #3
So much for an inflated weapons budget... Ford_Prefect Jul 2013 #4
Here's a photo of one of the test flights ... JoePhilly Jul 2013 #5
More wasting of money to keep the proles in line. Arctic Dave Jul 2013 #6
Never fear...the counter spy movement wil come up with a response. dixiegrrrrl Jul 2013 #7
I have seen the enemy. blkmusclmachine Jul 2013 #8
Did Heinz Doofenshmirtz win a defense contract? rucky Jul 2013 #9
... Javaman Jul 2013 #10
Dammit, I needs my Photoshop! sofa king Jul 2013 #11
lalz Blue_Tires Jul 2013 #12
But, but, but we are free, and shit. nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #13

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)
5. Here's a photo of one of the test flights ...
Wed Jul 24, 2013, 03:26 PM
Jul 2013


And I hear it's going to have a fricken laser-beam attached to its head.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
7. Never fear...the counter spy movement wil come up with a response.
Wed Jul 24, 2013, 04:33 PM
Jul 2013

beyond the obvious problem of tracking/filming/tracing/watching/listening to our every move
it is interesting what pro-privacy groups can develop to counter the problem.

sofa king

(10,857 posts)
11. Dammit, I needs my Photoshop!
Thu Jul 25, 2013, 12:44 PM
Jul 2013

Cut and paste a bowler hat, a cane, and a fake eyelash, and that blimp becomes Malcolm McDowell.

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