Wastebook - Senator Tom Coburn - U.S. Senate

Wastebook 201310. Cost of Unused Mega-Blimp Goes Up, Up and Away – (Army) $297 MillionIn an era of technological advances that make the machines of war smaller and more agile, the Armyspent three and a half years developing a football field-sized blimp that would provide continuoussurveillance of the Afghan battlefield – called by some an “unblinking eye.” 164In 2013, however, the Army closed the blimp’s eye forever when it brought the project to a halt afterspending nearly $300 million. 165 The Army sold the airship back to the contractor that was building itfor just $301,000.The blimp, also known as the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV), was intended tofly without a human pilot for up to three weeks at a time, recording everything on the ground. Withan expected total cost of $517 million, an aggressive schedule was set to launch the helium-filledairship.Army officials hoped to see the blimp flying over the Afghan battlefield by December 2011, but insteadthe aircraft made its first and only voyage in August 2012 – for 90 minutes over Lakehurst, NewJersey. 166Immediately following the flight – which was manned – the Army issued a release declaring the test“successful,” saying the blimp, “canoperate at altitudes greater than 22,000feet above mean sea level, has a 2,000 mileradius of action, can carry a 2,750 pound[intelligence, surveillance,reconnaissance] payload for more than 21days,” and is highly fuel efficient. 167The Pentagon’s Mega Blimp was a mega waste of money fortaxpayers. After $300 million and only one flight, it was sold backto the contractor for 0.10 percent of what it cost to build.Less than two months later, however,GAO released a report which showed theproject had been plagued with severeproblems.GAO found the LEMV “did not meet theiroriginally scheduled launch dates andhave experienced cost overruns …” 168Despite its intended ability to fly at20,000 feet for 21 straight days, GAOnoted the airship was “12,000 pounds overweight” and would only be able to fly at 16,000 for “4 to 5days.” 169The blimp sat parked in Hangar 6 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakhurst until the Army decided to shutthe project down in 2013. 170In addition to the cost and schedule mishaps, some noted how the blimp had an uncertain missionwith the Afghan war winding down. 171It was not the first airship to be grounded by the military, however.20