Army turns to high-altitude balloons for more eyes in the skies
2023/09/20

ADVERTISEMENT

The Army is simulating high-altitude balloon flights in Japan this month as part of a plan to expand intelligence gathering in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 1st Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, participating in this month’s Orient Shield exercise alongside Japanese troops on the northern island of Hokkaido, has been experimenting with balloons, according to battalion commander Lt. Col. Joseph Mroszczyk.

“We’re the only force structure in the Army that has high-altitude people whose job it is to operate these capabilities,” he told Stars and Stripes on Saturday at Camp Zama, home of U.S. Army Japan outside Tokyo.

ADVERTISEMENT

Balloon operations are only being simulated during Orient Shield, which began Sept. 14 and ends Saturday, but the battalion’s high-altitude platoon has actually launched them in the United States, Mroszczyk said.

The battalion, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., has flown several types of balloons to “extend the [sensor] network depth,” he said, adding that high-altitude operations take place between 60,000 and 100,000 feet.

Balloons aren’t new to the battlefield, he said, noting the historic use of the aircraft as military observation platforms.

Small, modern balloons tested by the military can be deployed without much effort.

ADVERTISEMENT

The trick is to launch them from the right place to take advantage of the wind, Mroszczyk said.

In February, Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced that balloons spotted over the country between 2019 and 2021 were presumed to have been Chinese spy craft. That month, the U.S. military shot down four objects over U.S. and Canadian airspace, including one that, officials say, was a Chinese spy balloon.

In April 2022, during the annual Balikatan exercise in the Philippines, the Army launched a Thunderhead High-Altitude Balloon System, .

“Thunderhead Balloon Systems have made long duration and navigational stratospheric missions a proven reality,” South Dakota-based manufacturer Aerostar states on its website.

ADVERTISEMENT

“By leveraging directional wind patterns at high altitudes, Aerostar’s Thunderhead Balloon Systems offer groundbreaking capabilities for navigation and persistence over areas of interest.”

Mroszczyk‘s battalion, which falls under U.S. Army Pacific’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, is building up to include 500 soldiers next year, he said. The battalion includes sub-units focused on intelligence, information, cyber, electronic warfare and space operations.

An extended-range sensing and effects company includes platoons that fly unmanned aircraft and high-altitude balloons, he said.

Balloons are likely to be part of the Army’s sensor mix but there won’t likely be many, according to Grant Newsham, a retired Marine colonel and senior researcher with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo.

“They are a useful system — especially for wide area surveillance — and are fairly easy to deploy and relatively cheap,” he said in an email Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT

11-Year-Old Guitar Hero Maya Neelakantan Slays Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” on America’s Got Talent: Watch
2024/08/30
Unlock Your Future: Can This Hidden Gem Solve Your College Financial Woes?
2024/08/18
From Overwhelmed Homemaker to Financially Empowered: Discover Mary's Secret Portal to Flexibility and Income
2024/08/18
How Jane Unlocked Unseen Opportunities Through This Surprising Platform – Could This Be Your Game Changer?
2024/08/15
Unlock the Secret: How a Busy Mom Transformed Her Life with a Single Click!
2024/08/15
Active Breaks: Do not sit for more than two hours in front of a computer. Stand up.
2024/04/04
Back Pain: Pelvic Stability
2024/04/04
Advanced Lower Abdominal Workout: www.marcelapedrazapilates.com
2024/04/04
The Top Pilates Classes in Bogotá: Find Your Perfect Workout Today!
2024/04/04
May 30th, 2017: A Compilation of News Articles and Events from Around the World
2024/04/04
Pilates in Bogota with Marcela Pedraza: Strengthen Your Core and Improve Posture
2024/04/04
Headache Woes: Understanding and Managing the Pain
2024/04/04
BACK PAIN-BELLY SECURE FOR SPINE-THE HUNDRED
2024/04/04
BACK PAIN - THE BRIDGE: Safe Exercises for a Healthy Spine
2024/04/04
Advanced Abdominal - The Snake on www.marcelapedrazapilates.com
2024/04/04
BACK PAIN - CROSSING LOWER ABDOMINAL
2024/04/04
SHOULDER STAND - ADVANCED ABDOMINALS at www.pilatesmarcelapedraza.com
2024/04/04
BACK PAIN - RELIEF WITH BALL AND ABS www.pilatesmarcelapedraza.com
2024/04/04
Exercises to Relieve Anterior Knee Pain
2024/04/04
January 18, 2017: A Day to Remember
2024/04/04