I honestly don't see how the Army is going to float this monster and not have it shot down in the first few days of its operation in a combat zone. They must not remember how quickly World War I flying aces got into "balloon-busting" missions.
The U.S. Army yesterday publicly flew for the first time its new Raytheon-developed battlefield blimp designed to detect incoming enemy missiles.
The radar-equipped “JLENS” (for Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System) went airborne in Elizabeth City, N.C., marking the first public appearance of the unmanned craft developed in Tewksbury by Raytheon’s integrated defense systems unit.
The Waltham-based Raytheon, which holds the prime $1.4 billion development contract for what it calls “aerostats,” expects to deliver 12 of the JLENS blimps, each equipped with Raytheon’s radar systems to see up to 340 miles away.
i believe it flies at a minimum of 3000 feet, and if it sees 340 miles, it'll take a lot more than some Af-Pak small arms fire to knock it down.
This isn't a convential warfare weapon. We won't be fighting the Chi-Coms with it. But for peristant surveliance to identify insurgent activity this sure beats something stealthy and fast.
Posted by: justin | 27 August 2009 at 01:52 PM
Hybrid warfare scenario - insurgents get one medium-sized UAV with two unguided rockets that have incendiary warheads. Game over, man.
I don't argue the value in replacing current UAVs for immediate situational awareness, so I guess we'll see what happens.
Posted by: J. | 27 August 2009 at 02:03 PM
World War Two (I was there).
To prevent low fights and pinpoint bombing by the Luftwaffe, the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) put up huge barrage balloons. Each balloon was moored to a wagon by a cable. These cables were strong enough to destroy any aircraft colliding with them. On the wagon was a winch that enabled the RAF Balloon Command to control the height of the barrage balloon. The balloons achieved the main objective of discouraging dive bombing and low-level attacks. (On Spartacus Educational).
Posted by: Ray | 27 August 2009 at 05:58 PM
I should have added that the above does not mention that the (silver grey) balloons were not all attached to waggons, but also commonly anchored by steel cables to concrete; sometimes on the outskirts of country towns. They were a weird sight- like elephants without legs, wavering and swaying in the winds and acted like magnets to us children, who were scolded by parents for picking up bits of shot-down " balloon silk", as picking up things ("butterfly bombs") could be dangerous. The balloons were effective in preventing low-level attacks and quickly replaced if damaged or shot down.
Posted by: Ray | 27 August 2009 at 06:12 PM
Maybe they can mount a CIWS on it.
Posted by: Tom Semmens | 27 August 2009 at 06:45 PM
As a radar platform, a tethered balloon is a nobrainer. As Justin suggests, the altitude extends the range of the radar considerably.
Note that radars can track both ground and airborne targets, making radars doubly beneficial to the Army. With air superiority, the Army can station tethered balloons well behind its front lines, where they can still track the enemy and be protected from both ground and air attack.
To be used with maximum effect, any active radar must be protected. The minute you use an active radar you emit a signal, giving away your position. Consider, for example, how the Wild Weasel performs its mission, the suppression of enemy air defenses. The minute the radar comes on the hunt ends and the fight begins. In fact, the missiles carried by Wild Weasels home in on the radar.
Posted by: Citizen Tom | 27 August 2009 at 09:32 PM
There is an interesting introduction on tethered radar balloons on:
http://www.carnetdevol.org/actualite-ballon/aerostat/usArmy.html
Janes' and the US Air Force also have descriptions.
Posted by: Ray | 27 August 2009 at 10:13 PM
Looks like a beluga giving birth.
Posted by: Ann Gaothin | 02 September 2009 at 09:32 AM