Officials: Runaway Blimp Has Been Grounded

U.S. Air Force Col. William Pitts walks in front of an unmanned aerostat that is part of a new U.S. military cruise-missile defense system during a media preview, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in Middle River, Md. Milita... U.S. Air Force Col. William Pitts walks in front of an unmanned aerostat that is part of a new U.S. military cruise-missile defense system during a media preview, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in Middle River, Md. Military officials said a pair of helium-filled aerostats stationed in Maryland are intended provide early detection of cruise missiles over a large swath of the East Coast, from Norfolk, Va., to upstate New York, during a three-year test. JLENS, short for Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System, will be fully implemented this winter. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Pennsylvania state police officials say the massive military blimp that broke free from its tether Wednesday has been grounded, the AP reported. The blimp, known as JLENS, descended near Williamsport in Pennsylvania and was secure, according to Bob Reese, a state police spokesman in Montoursville. NORAD spokesman Capt. Scott Miller has confirmed its grounding as well, according to the Daily Beast.

The blimp, technically an aerostat, was based in Maryland, outside of Washington. It was made by military contractor Raytheon, as part as the $2.7 billion JLENS program. It carried radar equipment meant to act as an early detection system in the case of an air attack on the country.

Latest Livewire
15
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for chammy chammy says:

    Thank goodness. I just can’t take anymore of the stupid coverage of it

  2. Avatar for mcboo mcboo says:

    Bad blimp! You should not have run away from home!

    …so your mother an I are taking away your smart phone and you’re NOT going out with your friends for at least 2 weeks!

  3. See!!?!?!?! This is all symbolic of Obama using the military to bring down whitey!!!

  4. Hey guys, next time you go to Home Depot, get the heavy-duty rope, okay?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

9 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for avattoir Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for chammy Avatar for mantan Avatar for sniffit Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for mcboo Avatar for williamv Avatar for arcmor Avatar for pshah Avatar for professorpoopypants Avatar for machoneman

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher & Digital Producer:
Senior Developer:
Senior Designer: