NationStates Jolt Archive

:idea: Spartan Fleet Defense Blimp
http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=4ddb48a1-3e03-55ee-343b-581165684b8a&size=
(not really new ben out for a while)
The Spartan helium filled Blimp provides a stable airborne laser defense system, as well as an AWACS platform. It can track over 40 cruise missiles and has 4 lasers and 1 CIWS mounted underneath, meaning it can fire on 5 missiles at the same time. A small group of these can quickly clear the skies below it of what would normaly be deadly to your fleet. It also replaces the need to operate E-2Cs from carriers as this system provides the same coverage as the E-2. Of course this is a big target however its destruction would require that the airspace around your carrier group be penatrated first and any fool who leave this or even a E-2 up without air cover deserves to have it destroyed. However if fighters should make contact, there are 3 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles mouned on this in a 360 degree turret. Also should they get close enough there are 2 sidewinders for emergency use. And if all else fails, the 30mm vuclan gun and the lasers could eat up the enemy's aircraft if they get to close. Of course there is a full suite of ECM, jammers and a flare/chaff system. This blimp can be stored aboard a carrier cruiser or any large naval vessel on the helipad. It is boarded and inflated, and then launches to provie cover for its ship. An unmanned version is availble for $2million more. The unmanned version requires the blimp to remain tethered to the mothership for it to work reliably. This also elimanates the possiblity of signals being jammed and is much safer anyway.
Specifications
Crew: 9 std 25max
[2 pilots 7 weapons/AWACS operators, +provison for 16 people
Length: many feet
Power Plant: (3) Gas Turbine powered ducted fans in tail and on sides
Range: 5,000 miles
Service Celing: 30,000 feet
Cruising Speed: 100mph
Normal speedp 170mph
Maximum Speed: 220mph
Weapons
(4) High-Power COIL Airborne Laser turrets
(1) CIWS 30mm Phalanx turret
(2) AIM-9Z Sidewinders or (4) FIM-92 Stingers mounted on CIWS
(3) AIM-54 Phoenix missle in (1) 360 degree turret mounts.
Counter Measures/Electronics
(20) RR-129A/AL Chaff Countermeasures
(70) JU-51/B Advanced Infrared Flare
(2) anti-IR missile laser pods
(2) AN/AAQ-24 DIRCM pods
(2) AN/ALQ-178 ECM pods
ALR-56C Radar Warning Receiver
Air Search Radome (Same as the one on the E-2C)
Price
$280 million
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SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER FIRST 2 ORDERS = 10% OFF TOTAL

Umm... if the lasers are on the bottom... how does that stop an ICM coming from space?

ICM? If you mean ICBM... its not designed to stop them... this is meant to protect naval fleets from tomahawk, exocet, harpoon and SS-N type missiles...

ICM? If you mean ICBM... its not designed to stop them... this is meant to protect naval fleets from tomahawk, exocet, harpoon and SS-N type missiles...oh... gotcha... and why wouldn't they just target these blimps with their cannons first... then fire?

cannon range < cruise missile range... if they could get into cannon range, they wouldn't waste cruise missiles.

bump because noone has claimed the special offer.

bump because noone has claimed the special offer.

We will take 5 for Fleet Defense Testing.

I already have something like this

Order confirmed, bill is only $1.26 billion including 10% discount

haha yeah....only.....

We request a building permit for these ships if all goes well.

Couldn't you just put the lasers on the ships?
Or on something more manuverable and fast?

The blimp provides more coverage than any ship could (not to mention the expesne of arming a whole fleet with lasers would be very high), and sea skimming missiles could fly low enough that a shipboard laser could be unable to get a clear enough shot. Although have a ship in my fleet with a laser missile defense system, I feel the spartan blimp provides more coverage and is more versatile and well worth it. And I don't see why this would need to be manevrable or any faster than it already is since its meant to stay over a fleet of ships which isn't going to be moving faster then 36 knots at best.

btw:
Sale of production rights could be arranged, however you may find I am notoriously bad at pricing such rights :oops:

Still, if you put it on a B-1B (Whoops, I already did that with the LB-1D), you could have a quick response anti-missile defense platform. Versatility=Cheaper and flexible

A B-1B costs over 200 million already... and adding a laser would make it more expensive than this. And I would doubt you could base a B-1B in positon so that it could always cover your fleets, and to have this plane of yours orbit a fleet providing protection for hours even days at a time would be impossible.