Police are seen through a window (R) as they investigate a shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington October 24, 2014. A student fatally shot one classmate and wounded four others when he opened fire in the cafeteria of the sch
Police are seen through a window (R) as they investigate a shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington October 24, 2014. A student fatally shot one classmate and wounded four others when he opened fire in the cafeteria of the school on Friday, following a fight with fellow students, authorities said. The shooter took his own life as other students scrambled to safety in the latest outburst of deadly violence at an American school. REUTERS/Jason Redmond (UNITED STATES - Tags: CRIME LAW EDUCATION)

To enhance the protection of the US capital region, the Washington DC area, with an aim to thwart any cruise missile attacks, the US Army will be shortly launching two stationary "blimps" at 10,000-feet in the air. They will be capable of detecting cruise missiles and keep a tab on any hostile aircraft or drones.

The blimps are part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's plan to integrate JLENS System with the already-existing air defence technology. NORAD hopes the tethered large balloons, also called aerostats, will double the level of existing ground radar detection, reported CNN, quoting military officials. The new technology will allow JLENS to track missiles, drones and aircraft in a 340-mile radius. In terms of dimensions, blimps measure about 80 yards in length and have a volume of 600,000 cubic feet, making easy spotting of any hostile object, pretty easy.

More Response Time

JLENS means Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor. It is bereft of any firing capability but are most reliable in giving adequate response time for a counter attack from ground missiles, ships or aircraft, explained NORAD officials.

A preview of the JLENS system was conducted at the Aberdeen Ground in Maryland on Friday where the balloons are flying above the ground. NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek explained the properties and said the focus is not on surveillance but precise detection of cruise missiles." The firmly tethered blimps can withstand strong winds with a speed of 100 mph or more.

Raytheon Corporation, its manufacturer, claimed that the system can provide a wider radar coverage in an area, comparable to the size of Texas. The advantage is that it will "increase decision time to respond efficiently and accurately for the defence of the National Capital Region," NORAD said.

Cost Benefit

With these helium-filled aerostats able to stay aloft for 30 days at a time, there is immense cost adavantage than using any aircraft for that task. A crew of 130 personnel is managing the JLENS system at the Maryland base. After the demonstration phase, the army will move the giant blimps to Baltimore, reported HNGN News. In detecting the missile threats, the blimps make use of Radar imaging with one blimp scanning 360 degrees in a circle, while the other will be looking for more specific targets, the report added.