Finally Recovered In Pennsylvania

One of the two JLENS airships that are intended to be a part of NORAD's early warning system protecting Washington, D.C. broke loose from its tether at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland Wednesday and drifted north, finally coming to rest in Moreland Township, PA.

Along the way, the dangling 6,700-foot tether contacted and broke power lines, causing caused multiple power outages as it traveled about 160 miles.

The Baltimore Sun reports that NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said that the blimp had slowly been losing helium as it traveled, and eventually came down on its own. A recovery by the military was initiated, according to Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Angela Biever.

Two F-16's were scrambled from a New Jersey Air National Guard base to track the blimp, and the FAA was also involved to ensure air safety.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that he had seen similar incidents in Afghanistan. In those instances, he said, the aircraft was recovered and re-launched. "This happens in bad weather," Carter said.

Raytheon, the contractor that makes the JLENS airship, told CNN that the tether is designed to withstand winds up to 100 knots. How it came to be adrift will be part of the official investigation.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.norad.mil