Monday, October 20, 2014

Grounded

What is a blimp doing out in the middle of nowhere?

A little research supplied the answer. This is a Tethered Aerostat Radar System. They let the blimp out on several thousand feet of line and its down-looking radar keeps an eye on things. Like illegal activity from across the border.

But this particular TAR is about 20 miles from the border. Either it can see a long way, or officials only care if Mexicans get so close.

At any rate, this one wasn't flying—because of the rain, I suppose. Does that mean smugglers know it's safer to cross in bad weather?

2 comments:

  1. Saw these along I-10 in western New Mexico....thought W-T-H is that thing!!! Got same answer as you from a couple Border Patrol agents on 4 wheelers an hour or so later......their version of the "eye in the sky"......

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  2. I saw the same type of blimp on 95 going north toward Quartzsite from Yuma last winter. It had me in awe as at first I could not figure how a white speck could just hover stationary in the air. Then I realized it was something like this.

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