Navy Looks to Blimps As Anti-Terror Tool

[Adam Starchild <starchild at cyberhaven dot com>]

Navy Looks to Blimps As Anti-Terror Tool
Thu Aug 7, 5:18 PM ET


By JENNIFER C. KERR, Associated Press Writer

MANASSAS, Va. - The military is looking to something old as a new weapon in 
the war on terrorism: blimps.

The blimps wouldn't be like those that hover over football stadiums and 
concerts. These would be equipped with cutting-edge sensors and 
high-resolution cameras that could scour the landscape or oceans.


Think of it as a 200-foot-long eye in the sky.


The Office of Naval Research is working with Honolulu-based Science & 
Technology International to develop the idea.


From thousands of feet up, STI's advanced optical sensor system can spot 
targets on the ground or deep under water and then track their movements, 
said Stephen Huett, ONR's project manager for the program.


Huett envisions the blimps policing U.S. harbors to pinpoint terrorist 
divers, suspicious boats or other unusual activity. They also could provide 
increased surveillance at military bases or assist with border patrols, he 
said.


The helium-filled airships have a number of advantages over planes or 
helicopters. They're quiet and smooth-riding, which is important for those 
monitoring the high-tech equipment inside. They're also about 30 percent 
cheaper to operate and can hover over a target anywhere from 12 hours to 
three days, Huett said.


The Navy contract is worth about $4 million, according to Huett.


Civil libertarians expressed concern that the blimps will be another 
government tool that infringes on privacy.


"What is increasingly happening is people are coming under routine 
surveillance without good cause," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the 
technology and liberty program at the American Civil Liberties Union (news 
- web sites). "It's no longer fanciful to talk about a '1984'-like society."


An intelligence policy specialist at the Federation of American Scientists, 
Steven Aftergood, said, "People are going to behave differently even in 
their own back yards if they know that someone may be watching."


Michael Greenberger, a law professor and director of the University of 
Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, said blimps could be an 
important addition to homeland defense.


"This is not a substantial infringement and is something that would be 
helpful," said Greenberger, who worked in counterterrorism for the Justice 
Department (news - web sites) during the Clinton administration.


Blimps have been used by the military before, including for anti-submarine 
patrols during World War II.


STI's blimp can travel up to 60 mph and fly at an altitude of about 
2,000-3,000 feet ? out of reach of small arms fire, Huett said.


While they might seem like large targets that aren't very stealthy, Huett 
said the blimps don't plummet from the sky if punctured by gunfire.


"It's like attacking an elephant with a fork. It's not easy to bring down," 
he said.


STI provided media demonstrations of the sensor technology as well as blimp 
rides this week in Manassas, Va. However, the 200-foot white blimp with a 
green and blue STI logo was grounded for at least two days because of 
mechanical problems.

The company's sensor technology is mounted in a 30-foot gondola, where the 
six-person crew ? including two pilots ? would sit during a surveillance 
mission.

From Virginia, the blimp will head to San Diego for a four-month testing 
period.

___

On the Net:

Office of Naval Research: http://www.onr.navy.mil

Science & Technology International: http://www.sti-industries.com

Blimp video available at http://datacenter.ap.org/wdc/blimp/index.html