Did You See It? US Navy Blimp Flying Over Ocean County
US Navy Blimp out of Lakehurst flies above and through Toms River
It was flying low enough to read the words "US NAVY" from the ground. On Monday at about 9:20 a.m., onlookers had the chance to spot a military blimp overhead in Ocean County
A Public Affairs employee at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst confirmed that the MZ-3A airship, which is moored at US Naval Air Station, disbursed early Monday out of Lakehurst and was flying within focal range.
The airship passed overhead against the backdrop of cloudy gray skies and 70-degree temperatures.
According to the Navy Times, the MZ-3A is the Navy’s scientific test platform for surveillance cameras, radars and other sensors, and won’t be deployed outside the United States.
But it’s very significant as a return to an older technology, and there have been two years of testing “to prove LTA [lighter-than-air] has a place in our military construct,” said Cmdr. Jay Steingold, the commanding officer of Scientific Development Squadron One, in the Navy Times.
The airship is a modified A-170 built by the American Blimp Corp., capable of flying at up to 10,000 feet and cruising at around 50 mph. The Navy began the project in 2006 “to use it as a flying laboratory. The airship is a good platform because it’s very stable, and easy to take things on and off,” Huett said. “A lot of times you want to go slow.”
Janet Jaeger
1:26 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
I live in Whiting and I'm sorry I missed seeing the blimp yesterday. As a little girl in the 1950's living in Lavallette, my Dad, CPO Kenneth R. Haley Jr., used to fly the blimp over our house when he was on duty and wave to us. It was quite a sight and we felt like celebrities in our neighborhood when everyone came running out to see the sight!
Jeannette Rodgers
1:54 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Hi Janet,
Heres some more info about the blimp. You should have another chance to see the US Navy airship again because it will be making daily trips around Ocean County.
That was very touching to hear that your dad would fly the blimp over the house and send you a wave!
Thanks for your comment Janet, Have a great day!
"The US Navy Blimp also known as Airship MZ-3A carries 9 passengers and the pilot", said Doug Abbott, Spokesman for Navy Airship Program and Naval Warfare Center of Aircraft Division . It only requires a small amount of fuel which ultimately keeps the airship in flight for up to 14 hours. Keep your eyes to the sky because according to Abbott, the airship will be making daily flights around Ocean County as army pilots are being trained in preparation for their own airship which will be used for intelligence purposes and surveillance. The airships will be moored at both Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
annoyingcat
12:28 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
June 22, 2012, 12:27 PM, US Navy blimp flying over Hillsborough, NJ (central NJ)
Glenn
1:27 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
My Yellow Lab was barking like mad an hour ago. I went outside to investigate and looked up only to see this blimp about 600 ft. above my pool in Hillsborough. Pretty nice. Go Navy!!
Citizen Scope
9:23 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
WHY IS THE U.S. GOV'T SPYING ON US?
John Rice Ward
7:49 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Weive on the Elk River Basin and saw the blimp on it's way to Aberdeen Proving Grounds