The US Army is hurrying the first of two mothballed aerostats through a 120-day refurbishment for deployment to Baghdad to serve as a new persistent surveillance asset. A roughly 135kg (300lb) sensor payload aboard each of the 1,585m3 (56,000ft3) tethered balloons is expected to be focused on detecting threats to army helicopters, such as shoulder-fired missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.
The army has signed a $1.6 million deal to begin refurbishing the first aerostat, and is working to obtain funds for the second platform, says Steve Kostek, product manager for the army's Robotic and Unmanned Sensors office. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors is completing the refurbishment at its airship hub in Akron, Ohio.
The search for a new persistent surveillance platform began with urgency late last year. Army analysis favoured aerostats rather than unmanned air vehicles since they are cheaper to operate and have a smaller logistics footprint, says Kostek.
The army's personnel system is in the process of selecting soldiers to begin training to operate and maintain the aerostats in Baghdad. Lockheed Martin has agreed to provide flight directors to manage each shift early in the deployment, says Kostek.
Source: Flight International
