US military testing high-tech dirigibles in Utah

Source: Associated Press

US military testing high-tech dirigibles in Utah
By MIKE STARK, Associated Press Writer Mike Stark, Associated Press Writer – 32 mins ago

SALT LAKE CITY – The skies over the Utah desert are becoming the test site for a new fleet of hulking high-tech dirigibles the U.S. military is hoping will provide battlefield commanders a bird's-eye view of cruise missiles and other threats.

One of the unmanned balloons — a 242-foot-long craft known as an aerostat — was launched Wednesday morning about 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. It stayed aloft for about three hours before it was pulled back down as planned.

It was the first several tests expected in the coming year or so in Utah, according to Paula Nicholson, a spokeswoman for Dugway Proving Ground. The next flights could be made later this week.

Vast tracts of military-owned desert were chosen for the testing because of their remoteness and resemblance to the mountainous, arid environment of Afghanistan, the military said in a statement.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100415/ap_on_re_us/us_military_tests_dirigibles

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With a world of sophisticated surveillance & detection options at their finger tips they go back to balloons. Okay. I just think its too retro.

Balloons were used in the American Civil War to help battlefield commanders keep an eye on things. That said, this is and has been a good idea all along, just not "sexy" enough for our 5 sided building in Washington.

how many billions of $$ have been spent from our unlimited military budget, for something that has been used for centuries? The unemployed, homeless, uninsured, ex-middle class could sure use that money. The extinction of America is happening as planned...

I also would have kept him from drowning in The Delaware River with all those shoes.

along the border they use similar units to monitor the dope smugglers and the movements of people who are crossing the border without using federally funded ports of entry :)