# Big balloon over north Edmonton carries army camera



## SARgirl (18 Sep 2009)

I thought this was interesting.

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Big balloon over north Edmonton carries army camera
By SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 18th September 2009, 12:06pm

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2009/09/18/10980806.html 



> A massive white balloon with an onboard camera is keeping watch over north Edmonton as part of army training efforts to detect insurgents planting bombs.
> 
> The balloon will remain over north Edmonton until the end of the month as part of an ongoing training exercise to observe, deter and defeat insurgents in Afghanistan who plant Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
> 
> ...


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## 54/102 CEF (18 Sep 2009)

Its very intersting - somewhere out there is a pic of Gen Leslie`s grandfather Gen AGL McNaughton in an Arty spotting Balloon on the Western Front in WW1

in GOOGLE BOOKS type this in ------ > mcnaughton balloon

Then go to page 104

Innovation is the name of the game - incremental advantage


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## kratz (19 Sep 2009)

I wounder if there people in the Edmonton area will create the same hue and cry over the use of this balloon as they did in Sarnia, Ontario with the balloon along the USA boarder?

CTV.ca



> Balloon controversy has yet to deflate at border
> Updated Sat. Aug. 29 2009 8:22 PM ET
> 
> Geoff Nixon, CTV.ca News Staff
> ...



more at link


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## josh54243 (21 Sep 2009)

If this was used in the field, couldn't they just shoot the thing down...?


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## Flasbang (21 Sep 2009)

Not if it's high enough. It would probably see whoever shot it down then a QRF could be sent out.


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## JAWS228 (21 Sep 2009)

That'd get pretty expensive at $1 million a pop.


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## Kat Stevens (21 Sep 2009)

Hehehe..."pop"...hehehe


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## Sig_Des (21 Sep 2009)

JohnTBay said:
			
		

> If this was used in the field



No if about it. They're in use.


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## medicineman (21 Sep 2009)

I wonder if the camera sees through tin foil, or if I'm going to have to get lead body armour when I'm out and about so they can't see or talk to me...

MM


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## Sig_Des (21 Sep 2009)

medicineman said:
			
		

> I wonder if the camera sees through tin foil, or if I'm going to have to get lead body armour when I'm out and about so they can't see or talk to me...



Hmm, not sure about tin-foil. But knowing the Camera operator-types, women of North Edmonton, be wary of where you take off your tops. ;D


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## ajp (22 Sep 2009)

So do the ladies need tinfoil bikinis?


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## Poseur (22 Sep 2009)

kratz said:
			
		

> I wounder if there people in the Edmonton area will create the same hue and cry over the use of this balloon as they did in Sarnia, Ontario with the balloon along the USA boarder?



I doubt it. It's quite a different thing to have a foreign nation potentially spying on your country than it is to have your own government test another tool for winning a current engagement.


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## belka (23 Sep 2009)

Has anyone spotted the thing yet? I'll be in town this weekend and want to have a look.


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## medicineman (23 Sep 2009)

Poseur said:
			
		

> I doubt it. It's quite a different thing to have a foreign nation potentially spying on your country than it is to have your own government test another tool for winning a current engagement.



Not if the people think it's being used to spy on them by their own government - folks get a little testy over that as well.

MM


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## X-mo-1979 (23 Sep 2009)

I can't seem to find pictures of the balloon.Is it tied to the ground?

How does it do in sandstorms?I can already see the balloon fabric being used as a roof on a Afghans tent. :nod:

Launch QRF the balloon blew down again.

Very interesting,can't wait to see some pics and stats.


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## danchapps (23 Sep 2009)

From what I've seen so far is that it is in fact tied down, and it's only been floated a couple hundred feet. This is only what I've seen so far. I've only noticed it while on base, and not from in the city proper. If I recall correctly this is only being used to show the crews how to operate them properly, and they aren't focusing too much on the "lets spy on the city" aspect of it. I fear I'm drifting from my lane at this point, so I'm going to can it.


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## basrah (24 Sep 2009)

I was wondering what the deal was with that big white balloon on the soccer field all this week. Havent seen it today, so it must be up there somewhere!


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## COBRA-6 (24 Sep 2009)

This makes perfect sense, if we're trying to keep eyes on a certain areas (like MSRs the Taliban like to IED) than putting STANO eqpt on fixed masts or tethered balloons makes perfect sense. _Far_ less resource intensive than 24/7 UAV cover.  

As for shooting the balloon down, I have no knowledge on this system but I doubt these would "pop" or deflate easily, even from taking small arms fire. Errant weather balloons, for example, have floated for weeks after being repeatedly strafed by fighter jets after they wandered into commercial air corridors, albeit that was at a much higher altitude.


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## X-mo-1979 (24 Sep 2009)

If it is tied on to view a MSR we will need troops to guard the the anchors.So some troops will be taken off patrolling etc to sit stationary and guard a camera watching a road.Where do the troops come from?

I'm not trying to mr negativity here,and I am glad someone is thinking outside the box a bit.However before we commit this to Afghanistan I think we have to evaluate if we want people sitting stationary watching a road.And if we do where do we sacrifice the man power from.

Or does it sit anchored in the FOB's with it's own camera crew added to the orbat?

I hope the evaluation is well thought,and not pushed through due to it being a pet project of someone or something like that.If it adds to our ability to kill people I'm all for it.


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## basrah (25 Sep 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> If it is tied on to view a MSR we will need troops to guard the the anchors.So some troops will be taken off patrolling etc to sit stationary and guard a camera watching a road.Where do the troops come from?
> 
> I'm not trying to mr negativity here,and I am glad someone is thinking outside the box a bit.However before we commit this to Afghanistan I think we have to evaluate if we want people sitting stationary watching a road.And if we do where do we sacrifice the man power from.
> 
> ...



Or we could simply place some sort of weapons system up on this thing that could give it some aspect of defense. The predator/reaper system has shown just how useful a UAV with a weapons system can be.


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## SARgirl (25 Sep 2009)

54/102 CEF said:
			
		

> Its very intersting - somewhere out there is a pic of Gen Leslie`s grandfather Gen AGL McNaughton in an Arty spotting Balloon on the Western Front in WW1
> 
> in GOOGLE BOOKS type this in ------ > mcnaughton balloon
> 
> ...



I did google for the information you mentioned, but I'm not finding it.  May I please I have a link to the on-line book you mentioned?  Same request with regards to the mentioned photo.  

Thank you, much appreciated.


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## Sig_Des (3 Oct 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> I'm not trying to mr negativity here,and I am glad someone is thinking outside the box a bit.However *before we commit this to Afghanistan * I think we have to evaluate if we want people sitting stationary watching a road.And if we do where do we sacrifice the man power from.
> 
> Or does it sit anchored in the FOB's with it's own camera crew added to the orbat?



As I previously posted, the balloon is in use here. I'm not going to say where, or what it can do, but it seems to be pretty effective from what I've seen.

Very cool piece of kit, and no, we don't have a dedicated "balloon protection force".


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## 421_434_226 (3 Oct 2009)

For SARgirl

This may be of help

http://books.google.ca/books?id=aNyxkdPOWI0C&pg=PA105&dq=mcnaughton+balloon#v=onepage&q=mcnaughton%20balloon&f=false


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## X-mo-1979 (4 Oct 2009)

Beadwindow 7 said:
			
		

> As I previously posted, the balloon is in use here. I'm not going to say where, or what it can do, but it seems to be pretty effective from what I've seen.
> 
> Very cool piece of kit, and no, we don't have a dedicated "balloon protection force".



Thanks skins.
Being on the side of the wire that has to go and look for falling stuff and snowmobiles that go down,it comes as a welcomed piece of information.Nothing wrong with extra eyes.

So this in Edmonton must be a training ex.Glad to hear someone gave you permission to publish this about the balloon.Thanks for publishing the info,as the rest of us had no idea.


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## SARgirl (8 Oct 2009)

421_434_226 said:
			
		

> For SARgirl
> 
> This may be of help
> 
> http://books.google.ca/books?id=aNyxkdPOWI0C&pg=PA105&dq=mcnaughton+balloon#v=onepage&q=mcnaughton%20balloon&f=false



421_434_226, 
Thank you, very much appreicated.  Looks like a great read; been reading some, will keep reading through.  Very kind of you to find this link for me.


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## Loachman (8 Oct 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> Thanks skins.
> Being on the side of the wire that has to go and look for falling stuff and snowmobiles that go down,



Sorry about that...


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## X-mo-1979 (8 Oct 2009)

;D
All in a days work!
Had you guys confirm I got a guy with a recoiless behind a wall too,give and take I guess!

UAV was a nice asset.

Funny note:I was sitting on a mountain listening to the reeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr for about 2 hours and got use to hearing it.Didnt even notice the noise was gone until they radio waves started crackling!


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