The Army is sending blimps to Iraq, to spot bad guys from the skies.
Two 56,000-cubic-foot, tethered, "aerostats" will be ready to ship this summer, part of a Pentagon-wide push towards airships. The military likes the helium-filled crafts because they're cheap -- just $1.6 million each -- and because they can stay in the air much, much longer than regular airplanes or copters.
Lockheed Martin, who got the Army contract for the Iraq-bound blimps, says they've built more than 8,000 of 'em for commercial and military customers.
The Army is sending blimps to Iraq, to spot bad guys from the skies.
Two 56,000-cubic-foot, tethered, "aerostats" will be ready to ship this summer, part of a Pentagon-wide push towards airships. The military likes the helium-filled crafts because they're cheap -- just $1.6 million each -- and because they can stay in the air much, much longer than regular airplanes or copters.
Lockheed Martin, who got the Army contract for the Iraq-bound blimps, says they've built more than 8,000 of 'em for commercial and military customers.