Blimp gathers intelligence on third flight. Cops get peek on gang activity

Thursday 18th August, 2005

 BY GEISHA KOWLESSAR

The multi-million-dollar blimp was back in the skies yesterday, this time officially conducting
crime-fighting operations.

Unlike the two previous occasions when it was spotted throughout Trinidad in July, the craft
carried out surveillance and intelligence operations in the North, West and East.

A senior member of the Special Anti-Crime Unit said yesterday that the information gathered
would now be passed on to lawmen.

Yesterday’s surveillance exercise focused mainly on monitoring the movements of gangs and
other criminal and underworld activities.

Police on the exercise also directed their attention to the coastal areas in a bid to curb the
illegal drug trade.

They described the operation as sensitive, but added that it was successful.

The airship was manufactured by a handful of companies in the US and was acquired by way
of post-selective tender.

What the blimp can do

Identifying the locations of concealed items such as illicit narcotics, firearms and ammunition.

Real-time tracking of vehicles or people, which will be critical and valuable in kidnapping cases.

Video surveillance and gathering of real-time intelligence.

Video surveillance and co-ordination of responses to terrorist events.

Video surveillance of valuable coastal areas and sensitive targets

What the system comprises

The airship system comprises:

One manned airship outfitted with forward-looking influx camera.

Low-light TV camera.

Lightweight radar.

Hyper-spectral imaging system.

A hangar and other ancillary equipment.

 

About Aeros: AEROS is the world's leading lighter-than-air, FAA-certified aircraft manufacturing company.  The Company's operations involve research, development, and marketing of a wide variety of air vehicles.  These include rigid Aeroscraft, commercial non-rigid airships, and advanced tethered aerostatic systems.  The airships are available for utilization in a variety of civil and military missions.  AEROS has affiliates in eight European and Asian countries, and the company's industry-leading expertise is based on more than 20 years of operations and research in lighter-than-air technologies.  For more information about Aeros, please visit its web site at www.aerosml.com

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