Army buys $12M in blimps for Iraq

From UPI:

WASHINGTON, July 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army is buying 16 tactical blimps for use in Iraq from a Columbia, Md., company, TCOM, L.P. announced Tuesday. The deal is worth $12 million, and the unmanned, tethered blimps will be built in Elizabeth City, N.C. The Tactical Aerostat System operates at about 1,000 feet, providing surveillance and a communications relay system aloft for up to a week at a time. The contract award is part of the Rapid Aerostat Initial Development system contract the Army has with Raytheon. The airship's use was demonstrated last fall over Washington, when an A-170 manned blimp hovered over the city for 24 hours. The helium-based blimp can fly for hours even if pierced by small arms fire, according to the Army....

Another "smart" use of taxpayers' money. Just how long do they really think the Iraqi insurgents are going to let these things stay in the air before shooting them down? Forget the "fly for hours even if pierced by small arms fire" promise by the military. Remember, this is the same military that can't even shoot down a missile that beams its own location to anti-missile missiles (multi-billion $ Star Wars program). These blimps will stay in the air only long enough for the Iraqis to stop laughing hysterically and aim their shoulder-mount grenade launchers.