If the mere prototype of an airship creates such a stir, then it’s time to ready ourselves to be faced with a manmade phenomenon in the near future. The scientists at DARPA are all geared up to conjure a 1/3 scale model of a fantastic, futuristic spy airship that will have 15 storey radars! It is said that the airship will have X-band radar system which will occupy 100 sq. m. It will also have a UHF-band system that will be 600 sq. m. This gives a hint of the size of the final product. However, the 1/3 model will be used to look even deeper into the various scenarios that the final aircraft can be put through. The airship is supposed be capable of tracking and detect small missiles, soldiers, various aerial vehicles and small ground vehicles. It can detect objects (including soldiers) even 300 KM away (obstructions included!).

The project is called Integrated Sensor Is Structure (ISIS). It will take up a complete area of about 6000 sq. m. About $400 million has been sanctioned for the design, building, testing and carrying out various demonstrations of the 1/3 scale model. I really wonder what the main airship will be like.

[Networkworld]