I've been enjoying Edward Snowden's comments about this on Twitter. One great retweet by him from @droosien:
"Runaway surveillance blimp" is the perfect metaphor for the military/intelligence industrial complex. And the perfect mascot.
"Runaway surveillance blimp" is the perfect metaphor for the military/intelligence industrial complex. And the perfect mascot.
Every image of these JLENS blimps show them anchored with a great many anchor ties, not just one (or a few). However, every report says it just "came loose" or "escaped it's tethering".
Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. These things are supposed to be for detecting missiles and high altitude planes, which would beg the question what one was doing blown up and ready to fly in Baltimore.
It says it right in the article:
"It's currently on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground."
No, the article says the JLENS program is on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground.
That three years is up this year (started program in 2012)... so perhaps they will be decommissioned, or re-purposed.
My statement was more along the conspiracy theory line of domestic surveillance tech being tested.
Furthermore, why is it shaped like a blimp with an obvious front-side, when it's designed to be stationary (wouldn't a simple balloon work?)
I believe it has a front side because then it can point into the wind, making it easer to stay stationary for the given volume (and hence lift capacity).
Everything on that article is hyperlinked properly except for the tweet from Snowden. Although I do give WP some credit for their original stories on surveillance by NSA/other agencies.
Don't believe me, just remember that the next time you see it.
Almost. It needs the eye of Sauron on it as well.