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.'"

Comments

We have corporate jetting Nancy Pelosi

[zymano]

She spends about as much time as that blimp in the air.

Re:Laser

[SethJohnson]

If the blimp is going to provide any kind of valuable surveillance, it's likely to be photographic. So, the blimp works best when it can see unconcentrated sunlight reflecting from the ground. Lasers are focused light beams, which are even more effective at penetrating 65k ft. of atmosphere. Just working through the logic of your criticism of anti-blimp lasers....

Seth