Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Nine Hundred Foor Blimp	Choux	01/17/06
""It's the blimp industry's version of David and Goliath. An obscure Tarzana firm run by Russian emigres is locked in competition with Lockheed Martin Corp., the world's largest defense contractor, to win a Pentagon contract to build 900-foot- long, blimp-like aircraft to move cargo and troops into combat zones."" The following are a couple of comments about the 900 foot blimp idea fro the site it was posted on. War blimps? Are we getting ready for the Crimean War? BTW, what's the difference between the Hindenburg and Rush Limbaugh? Well, one is a flaming Nazi gasbag and the other is a dirigible. Posted by: californiamike on January 17, 2006 at 03:00pm Moving blimps into and out of combat zones? There is a good reason why such things have not been done since World War I. Are these guys nuts? What do you think of the Blimp Idea??
Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 01/18/06 12:41 pm: For a better understanding read this Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 01/18/06 2:03 pm: Elliot ; Walrus will most likely operate in areas where there is local air superiority and ground defenses are suppressed. In theory it enhances the ability to rapidly maneuver to critical points across the earth .Now you need forward basing ;deep sea ports and established runways in the region .Those needs are eliminated with this capability . This will not even require a tethering pole .It will eliminate the work of a fleet of C-130s ;which are getting quite a work out as you know . How many boats surround a modern aircraft carrier whose job is to be willing to become bullet magnets ? This is in the concept phase and not much money has been spent . Lockheed Martin is not in the business of selling lemons to the military and I'm sure part of their consideration will be the defense of the ship .
Answered By		Answered On
tomder55		01/18/06
I knew that the technlogy behind the concept would be beyond most Huff post readers. Lockheed Martin also builds many of the nation's most advanced aircraft, including the SR-71 and U-2 spy planes.Think they would be venturing into Crimean war technolgy ? So if the Huff post crowd thinks we are talking the Good Year blimp let them . The airships the Penatgon envisions would travel up to 138 mph, with a range of more than 10,000 miles and would be able to transport large units of personel and their equipment to the operations area .Currently, personnel and equipment travel separately; heavy weapons, such as tanks, are transported by ship, which can take more than a month. It would rapidly reduce the time needed to mobilze to a regional hot spot. The vehicle would rise into the air thanks to nonflammable helium, much as a blimp does, but the bottom of its hull would act like a wing to give it additional lift and control. Sorta a blimp-plane hybrid . here is one proto-type from a company called Dynalifter . As to potential for them being hit in combat yes it's real . During WWII thousands of troops and tons of equipment were transported by sea .There was always ;still is ;a threat by submarine and yet the transports continued . They never go unescorted . I envision that something carrying such important cargo would get hi and low air cover the whole trip by helicoper ;fighter jet ;AWAC ;and drone . Now ;let's say that you have legit reservations because of the potential of something so large and carrying so much gets shot out of the sky .Imagine the commercial potential for freight hauling or for making a simular prototype smaller eventually becoming an alternative to regional road travel .I certainly think that the concept should be explored . Geeze . The Pentagon did not award any contract on it yet ;they are only taking concept bids .

Additional Options and ratings are only visible when you login!