The Blimp

[GunnyGene]

The USAF is tracking a Army blimp that is on the loose over PA. 2 F-16's . Don't know how they plan to handle it, but it seems that it could be brought down with a 30kw Laser shot over some uninhabited area. I wouldn't use 20mm, since the rounds would punch thru and eventually land somewhere that could do some damage. Maybe a slow pass over it on AB would burn a hole in it.

An Army blimp broke loose from its mooring at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland around noon and is now being tracked by two U.S. fighter jets, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The untethered device is part of what's known as a JLENS, or Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System. It consists of two aerostats that float 10,000 feet in the air and carry powerful radars that detect airborne threats. The system is manufactured by Raytheon.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/258385-loose-army-blimp-being-tracked-by-fighter-jets-over-us-airspace

 

[tinman]

IMHO this can be addressed in a really simple manner. A couple of choppers and a shotgun. Hover, shoot, use the prop wash to direct it into the safest possible area. Hell, if they wanna get real fancy (after shooting it) harpoon it from the chopper and tow it back home then let it finish deflating over the field. I just noticed that it is at 16,000 ft, if it gets too high they might have to switch over to a small fixed wing. :mrgreen:

 

[GunnyGene]

The thing is apparently dragging 5,000 ft of tether along, which is taking out major power lines and causing blackouts. :roll: :shock:

 

[baronvoncatania]

I hope that was a joke, shooting it down. I think these things are fairly expensive.

 

[protoolman]

Just spoke to my dad an old navy blimp aircrewman. That is not technically a blimp it is just a tethered gas bag like the old barrage balloons. Bullets could not really shoot it down because the holes wouldn't cause enough gas to leak out quickly enough to know where it would land. It is a tethered, unmanned balloon that carries radar etc. to protect the capitol. Apparently the tether broke. Looks like fun to catch. Wonder what they will do?

 

[tinman]

Gotta wonder, with all the money that was spent to build this critter, why no mechanism to bring it down should sumpthin like this happen................?

 

[opos]

Just another Washington gas bag

 

[Bob Wright]

Just spoke to my dad an old navy blimp aircrewman. That is not technically a blimp it is just a tethered gas bag like the old barrage balloons. Bullets could not really shoot it down because the holes wouldn't cause enough gas to leak out quickly enough to know where it would land. It is a tethered, unmanned balloon that carries radar etc. to protect the capitol. Apparently the tether broke. Looks like fun to catch. Wonder what they will do?

I'm guessing it has to be powered to be a blimp?

Bob Wright

 

[MrJim]

Just spoke to my dad an old navy blimp aircrewman. That is not technically a blimp it is just a tethered gas bag like the old barrage balloons. Bullets could not really shoot it down because the holes wouldn't cause enough gas to leak out quickly enough to know where it would land. It is a tethered, unmanned balloon that carries radar etc. to protect the capitol. Apparently the tether broke. Looks like fun to catch. Wonder what they will do?

Why did Hillary pop into my brain when I read that? 8)

 

[coach]

I hadn't heard about the blimp getting loose. I took these pictures of it a few weeks ago when I was fishing on the Gunpowder River near Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
The funny thing was it just appeared as I was fishing. It's quite visible for many miles when it's up in the air.

 

[Bob Wright]

Seems I recall seeing something like that years ago when I was driving near Marfa, Texas?

Bob Wright

 

[tinman]

Reports are that after dragging it's tether cable all over the countryside, knocking down power poles and shorting across live power lines, it is now on the ground. 8)

 

[Colonialgirl]

I read that it finally landed in Muncie, PA after shorting out over 18,000 power lines.

 

[Fox Mike]

I am wondering if the Army just cut it loose and hoped for the best. They say it is NOT operating as planned and want to scrap the program, however, the politicians want to keep it going.

 

[Scout943]

Does our guberment do nice work or what ? ? :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[mishtub]

Huckabee from the debate last night:
"If you saw that blimp that got cut loose from Maryland today, it’s a perfect example of government.
I mean, what we had was something the government made — basically a bag of gas — that cut loose, destroyed everything in its path, left thousands of people powerless, but they couldn’t get rid of it because we had too much money invested in it, so we had to keep it."

 

[blume357]

My blimp story... may years ago I was at home doing something in the house and my dog was outside... Lucy was part Bassett and something else... smartest damn dog I've had.... could not count the different barks she had for what she was doing... So, Lucy is out in the front yard just baying like crazy.... goes on for about 5 or 10 minutes and I finally get tired of it and walk out on the porch to yell at her to shut the $%#$#@ UP! I go out there and she is looking straight up in the air just howling like the dickens so I step out from under the porch and look up... to this day I still remember it... BIG GIANT PIG! right over the house..... it was the Pink Floyd Blimp....

 

[coach]

I think a giant floating pig would have made my yapper throw a fit too.