Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
U.S. Army Aerostat Escapes Mooring Station, Causes Havoc
The runaway airship was one of two aerostats comprising the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor system.
The U.S. Army invited reporters to see the first JLENS aerostat at Aberdeen Providing Ground last December. (Photo: Bill Carey)
The U.S. Army invited reporters to see the first JLENS aerostat at Aberdeen Providing Ground last December. (Photo: Bill Carey)

A U.S. Army tethered aerostat broke free from its mooring station at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., on October 28 and drifted in a northerly direction over Pennsylvania with a length of tether attached. The airship came down about four hours later and 160 miles away, apparently after knocking out power to thousands of utility customers.