Blimps over DC

[dell30rb]

if America is attacked, we might be saved by blimps. No, not state-of-the-art jet fighters that can fly well beyond the speed of sound. But blimps: lumbering, relatively jovial blimps—the manatees of aviation.
Within a year, a pair of souped-up $2.7 billion blimps (price includes R&D) will be floated 10,000 feet above the District of Columbia and act as a 340-mile-wide eye in the sky, detecting incoming missiles and the like.

The blimps, or aerostats as they are technically called, are 77 yards long, and have a range of 340 miles. They fly at 10,000 feet for 30 days at time.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/nati...they-re-here-to-stop-cruise-missiles-20130726

How are these things going to deal with storms? 10,000 feet is a pretty vulnerable altitude. What if a derecho comes sweeping through?

 

[Jim Logajan]

Swinging that dead cat again, are they?
Go back to the periodicals published since the early 1900's and regular as clockwork we will have flying machines in our driveways, blimps (or dirigibles) protecting our skies and no more sickness or disease.
A bunch of politicians and business people will line their pockets with our money, then slink off and hide under a rock until they can pull the scam again.

Too late - looks like they've already spent over $2.5 billion on this project. Originally planned for 12 craft but blew their R&D budget so now it is down to deploying 2. Nothing in the unclassified report that article links to shows any all-weather testing. At least not that I can see.

It takes a lot of talent to spend that kind of money on a well understood technology (the LTA part, anyway.)

 

[Jim Logajan]

Don't we have satellites that can do the same thing over a greater distance?

This looks to be a military tactical or theater level surveillance and weapons guidance system. The "protect DC" angle appears to my cynical eyes to be a way to continue funding by showing how it can protect the asses of those who decide its future funding. Quote of the mission description from the unclassified report:JLENS is a supporting program of the Army and Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense, providing a persistent surveillance and tracking capability for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Cruise Missile defense to the current and projected defense forces. JLENS will provide fire control quality data to Surface to Air missile systems such as ArmyPatriot and Navy Aegis, increasing the weapons' capabilities by allowing these systems to engage targets normally below, outside, or beyond surface based weapons' field of view. Additionally, JLENS provides this fire control quality data to fighter aircraft allowing them to engage hostile threats from extended ranges.

JLENS also detects and tracks Surface Moving Targets, and provides this data on multiple networks. JLENS provides Launch Point Estimate for Tactical Ballistic Missiles and Large Caliber Rockets. JLENS supports military operations across the full spectrum of conflict.

A JLENS Orbit consists of two systems: a Fire Control Radar system and a wide-area Surveillance Radar system. Each radar system employs a separate 74-meter tethered aerostat, mobile mooring station, radar and communications payload, processing station, and associated ground support equipment. JLENS uses advanced sensor and networking technologies to provide 360-degree, wide-area surveillance and precision target tracking. This JLENS information is distributed via joint service networks and contributes to the development of a single integrated air picture.