Spy Review

Blimps were first made in the 1915s but gradually fell out of use after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937 when the blimp burst into flames and 36 people were killed. Crrently blimps are mostly in use for advertisements since they move slowly and are extremely visible from the ground.

Now the Pentagon has come with a new use for the blimp – as surveillance equipment which can last for 10 years. Military researchers are working on modifying the technology so that the blimp can be used for high tech and long term surveillance of sensitive areas. In its new avatar, the blimp will be used for uninterrupted surveillance of small movements in a wide area. This is slated to improve military intelligence.

The best part about using the blimp would be its enhanced military value which would come from its radar system. Giant antenna would allow the military to see farther and with more detail than it can now, thus increasing the value of the intelligence it can gather and act upon.

They are also going to use revolutionary technology to use helium and powered by hydrogen fuel cells charged by solar panels thus making it lightweight as well. This dirigible will be a combination of a spy plane and a satellite. If it is successful when made and used, the military may well build a fleet of them and cut weaponry costs as well.

There may be one downside however. A blimp, unlike some other kinds of surveillance equipment, is not something that can be operated in a covert way because of its size and the fact that it would obviously be in the air. But that is obviously countered by the possibility that a blimp could be doing anything and not necessarily spying.