In an effort to (cough) protect the coastal United States against the nonexistent threat of cruise missiles (really, military industrial complex?), the U.S. Army is deploying unmanned aerial blimps called “aerostats” over the East Coast beginning in October.
What are these blimps really being deployed to do?
Spy on Americans, naturally.
According to The Washington Post, aerostats deployed previously in Iraq and Afghanistan “typically carried powerful surveillance cameras as well, to track the movements of suspected insurgents and even U.S. soldiers.”
Nice … and while the Post adds that the Army has “no current plans” to outfit its aerostats with surveillance equipment, it refused to rule out the possibility. Which is silly seeing as the government lies about its domestic spying network all the time.
“With billions of dollars already spent, and failed wars abroad, the military-industrial complex needs to continue to generate cash flow,” Mike Krieger of the Liberty Blitzkrieg notes in reference to these blimps. “May as well just use it against the American people.”
That is exactly what is happening here.
Despite U.S. President Barack Obama’s domestic spying “reforms” – and public assurances regarding the need to “balance” our constitutional liberties – it is abundantly clear the federal government has no intention of dismantling its spy network. In fact as its failed wars wind down, we suspect the ongoing militarization of America’s police state will escalate.
77 comments
Dude you’re late coming to this story they’ve been flying one out of Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst for over a year. I have picture if you want to see them. The blimp they’re using can see every thing from Far Rockaway to Cape May with radar and long range elctro optical sights.
Colonel, what is their normal altitude?
Seems like one of the squids operating the thing said 1,500 to 4,500 meters depending on payload and weather conditions.
10,000 feet …
Let’s see –
1,500 meters = 4,900 feet
4,500 meters = 14,700 feet
Average = 9,800 feet
Yep Will, you’re all over this story a full day and at least a dollar late…
But it’s the tomorrows that should concern us.
He got it before it was on the Today show, so really, he’s early this time.
what’s that klicking sound?
The term “phony war” comes to mind.
Well, crap. Forget about drone hunting permits. Who wants to hunt rabbits over elephants?
Well, shit.
So much for outside, sport-fucking.
Yeah, first thing I thought when I read this was that it was interesting that they picked “the coast” to deploy these things.
Maybe OP and Body Glove will make a comeback.
there’s still the missionary position.
Just don’t have any distinguishable tattoos on your ass.
Or leave distinctive skid marks because of the way you wipe
That could be disastrous – they could be misinterpreted as mini-guided missiles — bringing a new meaning to the term, “Tough Shit”
“In an effort to (cough) protect the coastal United States against the nonexistent threat of cruise missiles (really, military industrial complex?), the U.S. Army is deploying unmanned aerial blimps called “aerostats” over the East Coast beginning in October.”
What utter bullshit! If we have any enemies who might realy want to plop a cruise missile on us, do these dumbasses (at DOD) really believe they would wait for these (announced) measures to be in place before launching on us?
Will is correct on their real purpose.
We should probably deploy these along the Canadian border as well. Those sneaky Canadians have been plotting their invasion for the last 250 years. Who’s up for another billion or so to be sure the children are protected?
We’ve had them on the southern border for years.
We should probably ring the entire country in em. Puerto Rico and American Samoa too. Can’t spend enough to be sure we’re protected from attack.
Puerto Rico may become our next state, according to news reports out this past week.
Iraq will be crushed.
And an “Aerostat” at Ft. “Yachuuga”(sp).
I flew under the big assed thing (as large as a 747) on tactical desert training back in the early 90’s.
It’s been there for years
Actually, I think it is a good idea for “aerostats” as a counter for cruise missiles.
All it takes is one to get by and nuke Columbia – Lord, we wouldn’t want that…
What would happen if Williams Brice was ground zero????
Come to think of it………………..
Whatever happened to our 700 mile fence on the southern border, anyway?
The Laughing Moroccan Muslim told me that the solution is to get Walmart to build a 2,000 mile store (300 feet wide) and offer a job application to everyone coming in through the front door.
They get a job, buy at a discount, go back home at night, and don’t bother us.
Why don’t we give Mexico to Israel?
Good question! They both like unleavened bread, that’s a good start!
Better yet, make it an exchange.
Plus hummus & Mucabbe (Israeli) beer
Been there, drank that!!!!!
And……..Elat’s Beach is topless and the skin diving is TOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beersheba to the Negiev to Elat on Uncle Sugar’s dime!!!!!
Only place I need to go for my “Bucket List” is to the “Valley of Tears” which I consider “hallowed ground” just as much as Gettysburg.
That will be on my on dime UNLESS I’m lucky to catch a C-17 into Ben-Gurrion on space “A”
Gotta go though since I’m also a vet of the Yom KIppur Alert of October 1973
As posted before, that alert changed my life…………
Hmmmm – If so, then Shifty’s family would feel safer. Actually a better idea than having France own it – you know they got kicked out once before. And the US once had the chance to own it and Congress chickened out.
We could make them a state – and Mexico would get along with Palestinians MUCH better!
Nobody gets along with the Palestenians, that’s 97% of the problem.
Unlike the Israelis who get along with everyone.
There isn’t a country in the middle east who will allow a Palestinian to migrate (legally) in. Most claim it is to protect their right of return but the truth is very few of them were from Palestine in the first place simply being refugees from a variety of places who got caught up in the war for Israeli independence. I was in Jordan a few weeks ago, they’ll let Syrian and Iraqi refugees in but won’t even consider a Palestinian.
There isn’t a country in the middle east who will allow a Palestinian to migrate (legally) in
—–
of course, Israelis are welcome to migrate into any country in the middle east
Actually Israeli Muslims can immigrate pretty much anywhere. The obvious difference between most Israelis and most Palestinians is that the Israelis are Jews and the Palestinians are Muslims. Even a simpleton would understand why Israel’s peaceful Muslim neighbors might balk at letting “der Juden” in but no one seems to have a good reason why they don’t welcome their fellow Mohammedans in.
Israeli Muslims
——-
I guess the knesset has a lot of those, huh?
What, Juden or Mohammedans? Actually it has both, about 10% of the Knesset’s 120 seats belong to “Arab” parties. Israel is about 20% Arab.
13 Israeli Arab Muslims out of 120 – no one from Palestine.
Considering Israel makes decisions for all of the people of Palestine, that they don’t reconize as a state, that’s fair.
Since Palestine and Israel are still technically at war, that kind of makes treating Jews and Muslims with equal respect a moot subject, doesn’t it?
When was the last time you saw fighter jets shooting missiles at gang members on the freeway and in their houses in South Central LA?
If cops were doing that to my friends, I’d let them stay with me, wouldn’t you?
Ever hear of Puerto Rico or Washington, DC? When was the last time a Crip or an MS13 gang member fired a Katusa rocket into Beverly Hills?
Not to stretch the metaphor to breaking, but we aren’t at war with the Crips.
Ever hear of the “War on Drugs”?
Sure, ever hear of the “War on Terra?”
How long do we incarcerate drugs and terror? Do they have constitutional rights?
I thought “War on Terra” was that new SciFi Channel show?!?
I’m repeating it from Memory.
The “War on Drugs” is an exercise in futility and will NEVER be won
I flew a shitload of missions in South America in support of “drug interdiction”
It is a waste of time – Pretty much like the Middle East
California or other SW U.S border with Mexico:
Just give them time.
I’m surprised it has not happened yet but the night is still young………
The fuck he was
I was in Gulf I and flew U-2 support missions.
A camel couldn’t take a shit in the desert without us knowing it
After we waxed them in Gulf I the only thing Saddam could do was kill his own people and try a feint or two in 92-93 and we kicked his ass then (i was there so I know)
Two mistakes (for both sides in 90-91)
1. Saddam’s mistake was to stop at the Kuwait border in August 1990. If he had kept going into Saudi Arabia he would have had the entire western world by the shorthairs. That was his bad.
Same for the “Coalition” after we kicked his ass in the spring of 1991. We should have kept rolling all the way past Baghdad to the Iranian borders to the north and northeast and pulled a “Machiavellian” – Everything in Saudi Arabia and Iraq is now under the control of the Coalition Forces from northern Europe and the North America – do something about it “Ragheads”
That was our bad and we have lost a shitload of men and women from 2002- till today due to that fuck-up
You know as well as I do it is only a matter of time before Iraq becomes a replay of Saigon in May 1975 without tanks crashing the gates of the capitol.
I was 6 months fresh out of the 82nd.Airborne when that happened in 1975. I had my picture taken in 2003 at Baghdad airport. We flew into Baghdad damn near day. It was usually our first stop on the cargo route all over that fucking place from 2003- 2005 when I finished my last rote.
Uhm Sparkie – I’m talking about 1978-1981 when the French were building ol’Saddam a reactor. You’ll notice that no one overtly gave him any help in that direction after that incident
That, sir, is effing brilliant!
The Israelis are paranoid about STD’s.
The policia stand at the entrance to the Cancun Wal-Mart holding machine guns. To put that in perspective the Bahamian guards stand in front of the Nassau International bank with pump shotguns.
Damn, I’ve got to quit slumming and get back to the Del-Ray where they hold Uzis.
SSSSSSHHHH..!! It’s still supposed to be a secret!
South Carolina has about 350 miles of shorelines — for Goshen’s sake, isn’t that worth protecting?
I hear they plan to build a wall around the beaches too. Gots to have national security.
Is that a “Sea Wall” not allowed by DHEC???
Did you mean to say “bitches”..??
FOR THE CHILDREN
From the immortal words of Sir Gawain……
LOWER THE PORTCULLIS..!!
—–RAISE THE DRAWBRIDGE..!!
———-MORE ARCHERS TO THE TOWERS..!!
————–HIDE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN..!!
Rule 44
Your reference is to……???
Shifty – only the greatest character on the greatest TV show ever – Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS has 50 or so rules , Rule #44 is “first things first, hide the women and children”.
Not when you can put up a bunch of exploration wells which won’t yield squat
All the easy oil has been pumped out
$10 says Canada has to build one to keep us out.
I can see them using magnetometers to keep track of subs that may have pulled off the incredible feat of beating SOSUS and the SSNs…..
Do you think all submarine threats come through the GIUK gap?
Pretty much all of them on the Atlantic do.
But even the ones that make it through there or The Rock undetected could be picked up by coastal blimps…but 45 miles from the CONUS is too close.
Agree that blimps have a purpose. Obviously not all on here agree (understand).
Where do I get a Blimp Hunting Permit?
You can find her at any cheap dive in Cayce or Pelion…
Nice fucking blimp!
Blimps are generally powered a la the “Goodyear Blimp”. Aerostats or “moored balloons” are generally tethered. It’s amazing what you learn helping your kids with science fair projects…
Thank you.
…err, New Jersey.
Have to do something with that helium reserve if we aren’t irradiating it for bombs…
Dude, they’ve been snatching go-fast boats off the Keys with this technology for decades. We did some night diving for lobster near Sugarloaf from my ketch back in 89 and the coast guard rolled up and asked what we had been dumping overboard. Said the navy blimp picked up the splashes. Funny how a little blow and some pretty girls make a guy unafraid of sharks. Wouldn’t do it again nor would I walk around Baltimore at night without being strapped. The more things change the more they stay the same.