• A spy blimp with a supercomputer could be over Afghanistan by 2011
    80 replies, posted
[QUOTE] [IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VyTCyizqrHs/TTYuttAYMDI/AAAAAAAAKD4/BxxOtlbhReQ/s1600/bluedevil.jpg[/IMG] Wired Danger room reports of an ambitious, $211 million crash program called “Blue Devil” to put up a giant spy blimp with an extremely powerful supercomputer over Afghanistan. It will be seven times the size of the Goodyear Blimp. The idea behind the Blue Devil is to have up to a dozen different sensors, all flying on the same airship and talking to each other constantly. The supercomputer will crunch the data, and automatically slew the sensors in the right direction: pointing a camera at, say, the guy yapping about an upcoming ambush. The goal is to get that coordinated information down to ground troops in less than 15 seconds. [QUOTE]The first phase of the Blue Devil project is already underway. Late last year, four modified executive planes were shipped to Afghanistan, and equipped with an array of surveillance gear. Phase two — the airship — will be considerably bigger, and more complex. The lighter-than-aircraft, built TCOM LP, will longer than a football field at 350 feet and seven times the size of the Goodyear Blimp at 1.4 million cubic feet. “It’s freakishly large,” says a source close to the program. “One of the largest airships produced since World War II.” The Air Force hopes that the extra size should give it enough fuel and helium to stay aloft for as much as a week at a time at nearly four miles up. The airship will have the equivalent of 2,000 single-core servers, so it can process up to 300 terabytes per hour. So instead of just sending all the footage to the infantrymen, like most of today’s sensors, the airship’s processors will crunch the information, adding meta tags like location and time. Ground troops will query a server on the airship, which will only broadcast the stuff they’re interested in.[/QUOTE] Northrop Grumman is working on longer duration hybrid air vehicles. It’s supposed to float at 20,000 feet for up to three weeks at a time This would be three times as long as the vehicle that is to be deployed this year. The Northrop Grumman hybrid airship will take another 4-5 years. [/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/01/spy-blimp-with-supercomputer-could-be.html[/url]
Like thats not going to be shot down
[QUOTE=Atokniro;27518320]Like thats not going to be shot down[/QUOTE] Blimps aren't known for their strength But it's not like there's any RPG's down there right? :ohdear:
[QUOTE]It’s supposed to float at 20,000 feet for up to three weeks at a time[/QUOTE] I think this is a safe enough altitude.
[img_thumb]http://www.fwallpapers.net/pics/movies/aeon_flux/aeon_flux_005.jpg[/img_thumb] ??? wait no [img_thumb]http://images.wikia.com/to-aru-majutsu-no-index/images/8/88/Tree_Diagram.png[/img_thumb] [editline]19th January 2011[/editline] Wait no, I thought Super Computer Tree Diagram was in the blimp...
Didn't all the Zeppelins in WW1 blow up after being shot twice, didn't we learn they weren't a good idea.
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;27518349]I think this is a safe enough altitude.[/QUOTE] And if it isn't, I'm pretty damn sure they will have some sort of countermeasures against enemy fire
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;27518349]I think this is a safe enough altitude.[/QUOTE] Sure, but that wouldn't be the one for 2011. [QUOTE]The Northrop Grumman hybrid airship will take another 4-5 years.[/QUOTE]
In other news, Goodyear aims for a bigger middle eastern market.
kirov reporting...
Now the taliban will have to think of new ways to make IEDs. Balloon IEDs!
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;27518349]I think this is a safe enough altitude.[/QUOTE] I'm sure someone could modify a RPG-7 to take it out If not they could always find a Strela laying around
I'm sure the designers of this contraption will take into account the types of anti-air weaponry insurgents possess. We're probably NOT going to be using 1940s technology, guys.
Who's to say they won't start flying this in our hometowns? Baseball games could become under surveillance.
Thats actually really fucking awesome.
[QUOTE=elitehakor v2;27518378]And if it isn't, I'm pretty damn sure they will have some sort of countermeasures against enemy fire[/QUOTE] Yeah, but they'd be pretty hard pressed to get an RPG with a 20,000 foot range.
[QUOTE=animephreak135;27519911]Yeah, but they'd be pretty hard pressed to get an RPG with a 20,000 foot range.[/QUOTE] Not if you disable the self-destruct fuse and duct tape 5 of them together
[QUOTE=kaze4159;27518342]Blimps aren't known for their strength But it's not like there's any RPG's down there right? :ohdear:[/QUOTE] Who needs an RPG, I'm preety sure you can shoot that thing down with a rifle
[QUOTE=Broseph_;27520074]Not if you disable the self-destruct fuse and duct tape 5 of them together[/QUOTE] Oh yeah I forgot about the "self-destruct" fuse. I'm sure an RPG could totally fly straight up, 20,000 feet, if you tape 5 together.
I can see it now... "OH GOD A ROCKET, DRIFT LAZILY TO THE RIGHT!"
they might use one of those anti-missle lasers on it. would be cool.
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;27518349]I think this is a safe enough altitude.[/QUOTE] This thing flys at a 6 kilometer altitude, a .50bmg (or similar soviet calibers) have an absolute maximum range of about 7 -8 kilometers. If somebody could get a dshk within range I think they could let off enough rounds to do some damage. Albiet, the rounds would basically be flying straight upwards or at a very steep trajectory which may limit their range, but for something as delicate as a blimp I think any rounds would do damage. The blimp would need to have really good defenses to avoid such a situation. Im sure they do have creative defense planned, otherwise this would be a dangerous and expensive waste of time. See it just bothers me that people invest 211 million dollars (which could go to better, non-military projects) in something that could probably shot down with a WW2-era heavy MG.
[QUOTE=DesolateGrun;27518366]Didn't all the Zeppelins in WW1 blow up after being shot twice, didn't we learn they weren't a good idea.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure they used Hydrogen in World War 1. Now they use Helium.
I have a feeling the term "supercomputer" is being stretched a bit here.
[IMG]http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/L-A-Morselli/RedAlert2Wallpaper.jpg[/IMG] For the Glory of the Motherland.
[quote]A spy blimp with a supercomputer could be over Afghanistan by 2011[/quote] Well, it's 2011, where's my super spy blimp!
Don't worry, the GLA doesn't have planes.
But, does it have a portal to the Veil-Dimension?
Now all we need to do is give all of our soldiers Hellghast gear (har har I know its my name) and No-One would fuck with us.
[QUOTE=Scar;27521901]But, does it have a portal to the Veil-Dimension?[/QUOTE] Hehe, I wonder how many people got the reference
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.