Israel tests massive inflatable missile detection system

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel said Wednesday it has begun testing a massive inflatable missile detection system designed to hover at high altitudes and detect long-range threats.

Israel already boasts an array of sophisticated missile defenses, which were used successfully during the 11-day Gaza war this year.

The High Availability Aerostat System resembles a giant blimp or zeppelin. The Defense Ministry says it’s one of the world’s largest systems of its kind. It was developed in cooperation with a subsidiary of state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and TCOM, a U.S. aerostat manufacturer.

Israel has moved aggressively in recent years to counter potential threats from Iran, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, all of which boast large arsenals of rockets capable of hitting major cities.



This image released on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021 by the Israel Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's office shows a High Availability Aerostat System. Israel says it has begun testing the massive inflatable missile detection system designed to hover at high altitudes and detect long-range threats. (Israel Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's office via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-middle-east-israel-militant-groups-hamas-3dc07c50c9f24582bc0562bbd5cb4e5b

[Sherman A1]

1. Back to the Future

I’ve seen such systems mentioned periodically in defense journals as the thing we oughta be done over the last several decades. Made sense to me, but somehow I guess they were never sexy enough for the defense department.

[harumph]

2. At least one is used on the Texas - Mexico border.

We observed it just outside the Big Bend region.
Not sure what agency is operating it, or what the purpose is.
Maybe smuggling interdiction?

[Kali]

11. yeah we have one in SE Arizona

for detecting smugglers. LAME

[jcmaine72]

3. I wonder how many billions that glorified barrage balloon is costing the U.S. taxpayer?

But what the hey. As long as the migrant families who were forcibly separated under Scump's fascist regime don't get a dime it's all good.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Yep. How much did the US taxpayer kick in for this monstrosity?

While seniors go without dental, hearing and vision benefits?
And younger families have no paid family leave.

[Beastly Boy]

6. Are you seriously suggesting that seniors go without dental benefits because of US foreign aid?

Seriously... do you sincerely believe that any money taken out of the foreign aid budget will go directly into buying paid family leave for younger families? I can't even imagine how you arrived at this conclusion.

[Irish_Dem]

7. We'e turning into North Korea. Resources and money funneled to the military industrial complex.

Citizens go without.

[Beastly Boy]

9. US defense spending is not the same as foreign aid.

The only connection foreign aid has to defense is that Israel may choose to use some of the foreign aid to fund Israel's defense projects, and the OP mentions one of them. How Israel spends its allotment of foreign aid has absolutely no connection to American seniors getting dental benefits.

The suggestion that the well being of Americans is inversely proportional to America's foreign aid to Israel is an overused trope. It is usually brought up, often out of context, as a rationale for ending foreign aid to Israel. As such, this baseless criticism not only misses the target, but discounts any obvious benefits of such aid to the US and its interests that go way beyond Israel.

[Kid Berwyn]

10. Uncle Sam borrowed $3 trillion last year, $2 trillion this year.

Israel got almost $4 billion.

How much went to Detroit?

Not much.

[Beastly Boy]

13. Once again, correlation does not equal causation. And you are repeating yourself.

To be taken seriously, you have to show exactly how Israel getting 3.2 billion affected what Detroit didn't get. Otherwise you can't claim that one caused the other to take place. To be more specific and relevant to this thread, you have to show how one single Israeli missile defense project caused Detroit to be short changed, and by how much. You will certainly not get far if you repeat the same old tired trope again and again.

In 2017, Afghanistan got 5,7 billion in foreign aid, Iraq got 3,7 billion, Israel got 3,2 billion, Jordan got 1,5 billion, Egypt got 1,5 billion, Ethiopia got 1,1 billion
Kenya got 1billion. For the sake of parity, would you care to calculate how and by how much each of these countries short-changed Detroit? If you are not up to the task, you cannot possibly argue with a straight face that a defense missile system developed and tested by Israel has any meaningful effect on Detroit. If, on the other hand, your goal is to find an excuse, no matter how absurd and backhanded, for criticizing Israel to the exclusion of every other recipient of the US foreign aid, I hear you loud and clear.

[Kid Berwyn]

14. Israel has received over $142 billion in direct US aid since independence.

That’s not counting all the special “loan guarantees” and friendly deals that have made Israel a safe and wonderful place to raise a family.

Detroit, like many US cities, not so much.

[Beastly Boy]

19. Ok, since you insist on repeating the same failed argument over and over, I will indulge you.

Note, however, that this part of the thread no longer has anything to do with the OP, or in any way connects Israel's foreign aid and the US domestic expenses. It is now a comparative observation of two random numbers.

These are the latest figures I have:

In 2021, Detroit is scheduled to receive $879.59 million in federal stimulus money alone (https://www.wxyz.com/news/heres-how-much-some-local-communities-are-getting-in-stimulus-funds). Israel got $3.8 billion in US foreign aid in 2019 (https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-military-aid-does-the-us-give-to-israel/)

Population of Israel: roughly 9 million. Population of Detroit: roughly 700,000

This means that Israel received $355.5 per capita, while Detroit got $1250 per capita.

Since we are now seriously engaging in a futile exercise of comparing apples to oranges, Detroit is not doing as badly as you would like to think.

[Kid Berwyn]

20. Do I have to call Technion?

I have friends there who have designed more than recycled blimps. If my friends in Detroit, however, had received $146 billion to speed progress, the nation and planet would look very different today. As these are the wealthiest times in human history, we have the means to do both — to provide for our people in the US and our allies. Have the oligarchs of the planet pay their fair share and it’s easy.

Almost forgot: Appreciate the condescension, as it makes you plain.

[Beastly Boy]

21. How would would calling Technion enhance your credibility?

For argument's sake, let's assume that you have friends in Technion. Let's assume that they have designed more than recycled blimps (a reference to Israel's newly developed long-range missile detection system, no doubt). Let's assume that you have friends in Detroit. Let's assume that if your friends in Detroit received $146 billion in seventy years the planet would look very different today. All huge assumptions, but whatever.

Will calling Technion make the distinction between foreign aid and domestic spending go poof? Are you positive your friends there will not laugh at your dismissal of a new missile detection system as "recycled blimps"? After all, their lives depend on just this kind of "recycled blimps". What connection do you see between your friends in Technion, $146 billion and your friends in Detroit? Does one follow the other, or are these unconnected references that you just happen to line up in a sequence just for the hell of it? Please be specific. Do you care to speculate about me, rather than your friends in Detroit, receiving $146 billion and how the planet would look like today as a consequence, or would you consider such speculation completely devoid of any merit in any halfass serious argument? I would go for the latter, even though I often get giddy speculating on getting $146 billion and changing the planet!

Finally, how logic-free is your latest statement that "we have the means to do both - provide for the people in the US and our allies", when you spent your last few posts arguing the exact opposite - that the only reason we are not providing for our people is because Israel is getting all this foreign aid? Are you trying to muscle me out and take over mocking your previous posts?... Unless, in your estimation, "our allies" does not include Israel.

And I am glad you appreciate the condescension. Because I just cant pass up all the opportunities you keep throwing my way.

[sarisataka]

16. Detroit is about to get historic amount of federal aid

Detroit will get a whopping $879.6 million in federal money to replenish the City’s COVID-wracked budget that has meant sweeping cuts in services to residents.

The money is part of the overall $1.9 trillion federal stimulus bill, called the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress this week and signed into law by President Biden on Thursday. 

“This is historic, I’ve never voted on a bill this large,” U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, a four-term Congresswoman from Southfield who also represents part of Detroit, told BridgeDetroit in an interview. 

The $880 million is just one part of the federal money Detroit will see in the plan. The figure refers to money earmarked “to replenish the coffers for tax revenue lost during the pandemic,” Lawrence said. 

https://www.bridgedetroit.com/detroit-is-about-to-get-historic-amount-of-federal-aid/

Article goes on to note only 4 cities received more

[Kid Berwyn]

18. Thank you!

Great news, indeed! The $879 million will help a lot.

[Beastly Boy]

5. I wonder how many lives it may save,

not only in Israel, but in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia

[hack89]

8. They were used a lot in Iraq and proved very successful

they are the perfect airborne platforms for local persistent surveillance. Your barrage balloon comment is ill-informed.

[Carlitos Brigante]

15. Israel's enemies are already looking at

dastardly ways to counter with a gadget of their own:

[orangecrush]

17. ....

[Ghost Dog]

22. Is this "Important news of national interest only"?

Other foreign news stories are not usually accepted in LBN.