DoD Considers LTA For Homeland Security
The dirigible, or airship, may be
employed as a tool to detect potential attacks against the United
States, DoD officials told House of Representative members March
4.
"We believe the best way to protect Americans is to defeat
terrorists as far away from our homeland as we can," Air National
Guard Maj. Gen. John A. Love said in his prepared testimony before
the House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities
Subcommittee. Love is a senior officer with US Northern Command,
the unified command charged with defending the United States from
land, air and sea attack.
Paul McHale, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense
and National Guard Bureau chief Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum also
provided testimony.
While US troops are taking the fight to terrorists in places
like Afghanistan and Iraq, Love asserted it's also important "to
win the 'home game' by protecting, defending and defeating threats
against our nation."
Recent technology demonstrations, Love said, point to the
potential use of airships to patrol a 500-mile "buffer zone"
established outward from the American coastline.
High-altitude airships, Love continued, could provide
"over-the-horizon" surveillance across North America "and out from
our coastal waters for air, ground and maritime threats."
Use of airships for homeland defense
purposes, McHale explained, is consistent with DoD's charter to
provide "the military defense of our nation from attacks that
originate from abroad." Testing of prototype dirigibles, he said,
demonstrated they "could provide wide area surveillance and
communications capabilities."
McHale pointed out DoD's partner role with the Department of
Homeland Security in its mission of protecting the nation against,
and preparing for, acts of terrorism. DoD, McHale said, stands
ready to "provide assets and capabilities in support of civil
authorities, consistent with US law."
National Guard Bureau chief Lt. Gen. Blum told House committee
members the Guard "is uniquely suited for operational missions
inside the US to help protect both the American people and our
critical infrastructure."
In fact, there are now 32 certified Weapons of Mass Destruction
Civil Support Teams, the three-star general said, noting, "More are
on the way." Blum said each team features 22 Army and Air National
Guard specialists trained to detect and identify chemical,
biological or radiological hazards, and assist in follow-on
activities.
Another initiative involves the reinforcement of WMD civil
support teams, Blum noted, with "existing medical, engineer and
security forces from either the Air or Army National Guard."
The result, Blum pointed out, is "a more robust capability in
response to a WMD incident."
(ANN thanks Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press
Service)