Friday, February 15, 2013

Would you believe a $275 million blimp?

According to the Wall St Journal the US Army has canceled the Long Endurance Multi Intelligence Vehicle project.  This was to be a 300 foot long blimp with an endurance of weeks.  It would float above the battlefield and furnish reconnaissance video, wifi, cold beer and everything else to troops below.  Apparently the program was planned to cost $517 million, of which $275 million has been spent.
Question 1:  How in the name of all that is holy can you spend $275 million on a single blimp?  It's not like it is new technology.   Count Zeppelin had them flying better than 100 years ago.  
 Question 2:  Can it survive a surface to air missile?

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