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US Pentagon Plans For a Spy Blimp
nloop writes "The Pentagon is intending to develop a new spy ship — a dirigible. At 65,000 feet it would provide a 10 year, solar power based, unblinkingly intricate and continuous view of the surface via radar surveillance. Because of its altitude it would be safe from surface-to-air missiles and most aircraft. A 1/3-scale prototype, now being designed, is 'known as ISIS, for Integrated Sensor Is the Structure, because the radar system will be built into the structure of the ship. ... 'If successful, the dirigible... could pave the way for a fleet of spy airships, military officials said.'"
What's this business in the article about it being "nearly impossible to see"? A 450 foot dirigible at an altitude of 65,000 feet would subtend an angle of 0.4 degrees from ground-level directly underneath, just a little smaller than the full Moon. Or will it be painted with big words on the side saying "Please ignore the spy in the sky", instructions that we all will no doubt dutifully follow, like the sheep we are?
It all depends on the target country. Afghanistan and Iraq have constant Predator overflights. I expect the blimp will offer a stationary surveillance over relatively unarmed or poorly armed countries. It might also be use for UN crisis zones, like Sudan and Somalia, or where the local government has largely broken down.
Alternatively, the blimp could be used to patrol U.S. air space. There is always the coast guard, border patrol, war on drugs, war on terrorism, war on crime, and even coastal rescue. A stationary surveillance platform might be really useful for those applications.
The main target of this platform might be here at home in America.
Comsidering that an F-15 successfully shot down (destroyed) a satellite which was orbiting 555km above the Earth, the assertion that a blimp would be safe from aircraft attack is demonstrable bunk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-15_Eagle#Operational_history
Moreover, a preproduction F-15 (the "Streak Eagle") in breaking its eighth time to altitude record, went from standstill on the ground to 98,425 feet (30 km) in 208 seconds, and coasted to 103,000 feet. Modern interceptors can reach such altitudes with little if any modification. 65,000 feet is within their normal operating capability.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=621
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
It's funny, living in the UK I immediately assumed it would be used to spy on US citizens. It wasn't until I read the comments that I realized it might be used on other nations.
What an unusual concept for someone from UK -- a spy weapon being used on genuinely, or potentially, hostile nations, rather than on its own people.
We may joke about how bad things are in the UK here often. However, I don't think people realize how bad the state of this country is, and how incredibly evil the UK Government appears to be.
There may come a time soon when you won't be hearing from the UK for a decade or two. They have effectively sealed up the borders with new Legislation yesterday (news released on a Friday deliberately to avoid a news cycle obviously). Or at least this gives them the power to seal up the border any time -- virtual Berlin Wall.
God help us all in the UK. We have little hope.
Who needs that, the good old Mig 21 has a service ceiling of 17500m, and its GP-9 gun pod has a known effective range of 3000m.
17500+3000=20500m, or 67,000 feet....
and that is one hell of a big target.
So it is easily hitable by anyone with even a historic jet airforce. It would be safe from foot soldiers and shoulder launched missiles.
http://members.tripod.com/YUModelClub/yugoslav_air_force/mig21/mig21var.htm
http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jalw/jalw2788.html
Would be just the thing for monitoring the home populous though.