wiredinUSA February 2012

INDEX

Harnessing a giant airship

Space Daily reports that surveillance system integration firm North American Surveillance Systems Inc (NASS) has been awarded multiple contracts for work on the US Air Force’s Blue Devil Block II (BD2) Airship project.

“The BD2 project requires thousands of feet of specialized wires and harnesses for the airship’s surveillance data processing supercomputer systems,” said Richard McCourt, NASS president. The giant 370-foot long unmanned aircraft is reportedly seven times the size of the Goodyear blimp and will be deployed for surveillance missions over Afghanistan early in 2012. “[Our] expert wire assemblers and engineers are creating the 800,000 feet or 151 miles of wiring required for the airship’s two gondolas in NASS’ operations center and hangar facility north of Orlando, Florida. In addition, NASS has been given the contract for the complete installation and integration of the cockpit control console and NASS will also provide assistance in the integration into the surveillance airship which is located in Elizabeth City, NC,” added McCourt.

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wiredInUSA - February 2012