Airships over Afghanistan

[Kaido]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...airship-over-afghanis/

I didn't know blimps could move that fast! :Q

Some specs of the planned airship:

* 20,000-foot ceiling
* Up to 21-day deployment (without landing)
* Manned or unmanned
* Up to 2,500-pound payload
* Twice as big as the Lockheed P-791 in the demo video (which has already been flown 6 times)

 

[Number1]

It does not look very stable in the video.

 

[alexjohnson16]

Yuri is pleased!

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: alexjohnson16
Yuri is pleased!

:shocked:

 

[dguy6789]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: alexjohnson16
Yuri is pleased!

:shocked:

Indeed

 

[Chunkee]

what would be the benefit of these?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
what would be the benefit of these?

That's like asking what's the benefits of a Ferrari. It's not that there are benefits, it's that you HAVE one

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
what would be the benefit of these?

long termsurveillance, i would expect. 3 weeks hovering over a point or patrolling an area with good cameras/optics/night vision/etc for surveillance, or having one deployed *while* your forces battle it out on the ground would be helpful if you could make use of the live, overhead strategic input.

also, shit, its pretty cool looking

 

[aircooled]

Seems like it would be an easy target to shoot down. Very cool though.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: xSauronx

Originally posted by: Chunkee
what would be the benefit of these?

long termsurveillance, i would expect. 3 weeks hovering over a point or patrolling an area with good cameras/optics/night vision/etc for surveillance, or having one deployed *while* your forces battle it out on the ground would be helpful if you could make use of the live, overhead strategic input.

also, shit, its pretty cool looking

Good thing about these is that they can be flown manned or unmanned. Yeah it would suck to sit in this thing for 3 weeks doing surveillance.

 

[sdifox]

2500 lb payload??? Are they going to equip it with glass bottles with nitroglycerin in it? That is probably enough for the galley supply for 21 days :laugh:

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: sdifox
2500 lb payload??? Are they going to equip it with glass bottles with nitroglycerin in it? That is probably enough for the galley supply for 21 days :laugh:

there wouldn't be anyone in it for 21 days.

that payload capability is perfect for surveillance equipment, and a lot of it.

We just need Boeing (?) to install one of those lasers (the chemical laser they are working on) into one of those, and we've got a floating recon platform with full destructive capability, and a nice way to defend the ship if any equipment detects an incoming missile.

Hopefully they aren't too expensive, because as soon as someone deploys a ground to air missile that thing is coming down fast.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: sdifox
2500 lb payload??? Are they going to equip it with glass bottles with nitroglycerin in it? That is probably enough for the galley supply for 21 days :laugh:

there wouldn't be anyone in it for 21 days.

that payload capability is perfect for surveillance equipment, and a lot of it.

We just need Boeing (?) to install one of those lasers (the chemical laser they are working on) into one of those, and we've got a floating recon platform with full destructive capability, and a nice way to defend the ship if any equipment detects an incoming missile.

Hopefully they aren't too expensive, because as soon as someone deploys a ground to air missile that thing is coming down fast.

I think the lasers are WAY heavier than that currently.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Are these airships over Afghanistan going to drop bombs over Baghdad?

 

[meltdown75]

i love the word "dirigible" :heart:

 

[Crono]

I thought this was going to be a song.
First thing I thought of after that was the Kirov from RA2 and 3. Never understood how those things were so heavily armored (yes, I know it's a game).

 

[spaceman]

thatll need a big baster
i wondr where the pop up timer is on it.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
what would be the benefit of these?

Much cheaper than comparable numbers of Predator drones. These things are tough to shoot down and can perform surveillance for days on end. Basically, the military has become addicted to the idea of having the ability to watch and attack large swathes of ground... this is the cost-effective answer.

 

[Crono]

We all know this is actually for combating zombies. Airships are quite possibly the best aircraft for long term zombie fighting and surveillance campaigns. Everyone knows this.

 

[ElFenix]

:heart: airships

how very steampunk

 

[meltdown75]

http://jandemessemaeker.net/mu...lin-Led%20Zeppelin.jpg

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: spaceman
thatll need a big baster
i wondr where the pop up timer is on it.

I'm actually starting to understand your cryptic posts.

 

[keird]

I was a door gunner on the Hood blimp

I might post the pic some other time.

 

[Ruptga]

airships use runways now?

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: alexjohnson16
Yuri is pleased!

Tru story!