Task Force Rakkasan Puts New 'Eye in the Sky'
(July 11, 2010) |
|
|
July 6, 2010 -- Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane!
Actually, it's a multi-million dollar helium-filled aerostat
(balloon) equipped with the most advanced surveillance
technology and it's the latest tool added to Task Force
Rakkasan's arsenal.
The large, odd-shaped, blimp-like white balloon was launched
for the first time here July 1. Since then it has been
hovering high in the sky raising a few eyebrows and
expectations.
“We have not had a persistent [Intelligence, Surveillance
and Reconnaissance] capability before now, and I think an
asset like this is going to be a game changer,” said U.S.
Army Lt. Col. Viet Luong, commander, 3rd Brigade, 101st
Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. “I'm a big advocate for these
platforms |
|
Dave Dobbins, an aerostat technician from Augusta, Ga.,
connects cables to the bottom of an aerostat at FOB Salerno July 1, 2010. |
|
and I've used them very effectively in Iraq.” |
|
The aerostat, or Persistent Ground Surveillance System,
provides the local battlefield commander a 24-hour-a-day
“eyes-on” capability to survey and closely monitor the
battle space and any possible enemy activities using
high-definition, infrared and thermal imaging technology.
“This system is a big ‘eye in the sky' that lets us know
what the enemy is doing as he is doing it,” said U.S. Army
Col. Altrus Campbell, persistent surveillance capabilities
manager, Headquarters, Department of the Army, from Panama
City, Fla. “It lets us see pretty much anything the enemy
does from emplacing [improvised explosive devices] to
setting up an ambush.”
The aerostat here is about 17-meters-long, can carry an
equipment payload of about 500 pounds and operates at a high
elevation, usually above 1,000 feet.
It is comprised of four basic components.
The first component is the balloon itself. It is a
pressurized, helium-filled, completely flexible structure
fabricated from a high-strength multi-layer fabric designed
for long-term use in all types of environments. It has an
on-board computer system and air bladder to compensate for
changing air temperatures and ensures the balloon maintains
its aerodynamic shape.
The second component is the tether. The tether is a cable
connecting the aerostat to the mooring system below and
keeping the aerostat in place. It is comprised of electrical
cabling to provide power to the onboard computer systems and
fiber-optics that provide secure and reliable communications
and control to the ground.
The third component is the mooring system, which is
basically a portable trailer that is anchored in place and
allows the aerostat to swing in a 360-degree circle without
twisting or binding the tether. It also helps manoeuvre the
aerostat during launch and recovery operations in all kinds
of weather.
The final component, and arguably the most valuable to the
Army, is the camera systems and the surveillance equipment
the aerostats carry. Although the specifics of the systems
are classified, it is known they allow the user to see enemy
activities clearly from miles away at any time of day or
night.
Although the systems can range in price from $6 million to
more than $20 million, Campbell says the service they
provide is invaluable.
“It's difficult to put a price tag on the life of a Soldier
or on the success of a mission,” he said. “These systems,
although costly, have proven their worth time and time again
by helping to ensure mission success and saving Soldiers
lives on the battlefield.”
Another way they have proven their worth is the effect they
have traditionally had on enemy operations.
“There are many success stories from these systems in Iraq,”
said Campbell. “Statistics have shown that when the balloon
is in the sky, enemy activities in the area drop
significantly.”
Even the smallest of the aerostats are large and can be seen
from very far away. Many people think they make easy targets
for the enemy and can be shot down with just a few rounds of
an AK-47. According to Campbell that is not the case.
“A lot of people think if you shoot the balloon it will
explode or pop and that's not true,” he said. “The pressure
inside the balloon is close to the pressure on the outside,
so even if a round penetrates it, it will not explode or
pop, it will just have a very slow leak which is easily
repaired.”
Campbell continued saying that having the enemy shoot at the
aerostat is actually encouraged. “We like it when enemy
forces shoot at the balloon,” he said. “Because when they
do; it tells us exactly where they are.”
Several aerostats have already been emplaced across
Afghanistan and more are on the way. |
Article and photo by Army Sgt. Brent Powell
Combined Joint Task Force 101
Copyright 2010 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
Comment on this article |
|
