Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blimps, a tool of warfare utilized in World War I, are making a comeback in Afghanistan, where the large inflatable vehicles are helping the U.S. spy on insurgents.
But using blimps has run into a problem: not enough helium is available. With a sudden surge of blimps equipped with spy technology, the military’s demand for helium soared from 49,000 cubic meters to about 531,000 cubic meters in just two years.
It’s not just the quantity of blimps but also the type that’s putting the squeeze on helium supplies. According to Wired’s Danger Room, the U.S. is planning to deploy at least two “freakishly large” airships to Afghanistan that are longer than a football field and taller than a seven-story building. Unlike drones, spy blimps can stay in the air for days at a time and, at an elevation of four miles, they are relatively safe from attack.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Military Struggles to Find Helium for Spy Blimp Surge (by Dawn Lim and Noah Shachtman, Wired)
Giant Spy Blimp Battle Could Decide Surveillance’s Future (by Noah Shachtman, Wired)
All-Seeing Blimp Could Be Afghanistan’s Biggest Brain (by Noah Shachtman, Wired)
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