The USA’s RAID Program: Small Aerostats, Big Surveillance Time
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The RAID program is a combination of cameras and surveillance equipment positioned on high towers and aerostats, in order to monitor a wide area around important locations and bases. Aerostats differ from blimps in that blimps are powered, while aerostats are anchored to the ground via a cranked tether that also supplies electrical power. Because the aerostats are not highly pressurized, bullets won’t burst them and they can actually remain buoyant for hours after suffering multiple punctures.
The RAID concept began with a smaller TCOM 17M aerostat as the base platform, instead of the TCOM 71M JLENS aerostats used for cruise missile and air defense. Its sensors were also optimized for battlefield surveillance, rather than JLENS’ focus on powerful air defense radars. The result is a form of survivable and permanent surveillance over key areas that has been deployed to Afghanistan & Iraq. “Aerostats” has actually become something of a misnomer, however – RAID can also be deployed as a tower system, and this “Eagle Eye/ GBOSS” deployment is turning out to be the preferred mode.
Raytheon continues to received contracts from the US Marine Corps and US Army for new towers, as well as maintenance of existing systems. A RAID aerostat was also deployed to an unusual location recently: the Indy 500…
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In the DII Spotlight we examine Raytheon's elevated sensor systems, aerostats and towers, as contracted by the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command for long-term surveillance to protect deployed troops in counterinsurgency scenarios. Coverage includes:
- The aerostat under fire: "We just patched it up, topped it off with helium and sent it back up."
- Raytheon source materials detailing the transition to GBOSS
- Detailed technical specifications of FLIR Systems' Star SAFIRE III sensors
- Extensive compilation of background research and related news articles
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