The Australian Defence Force’s newly acquired balloon technology

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is making innovative use of technology from the past, balloons.

As the oldest form of aircraft, balloons are not new to warfare. Military Forces have used them for reconnaissance since1793, when the French Government formed an air arm to its army during the Revolution.

Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has procured three Aerostats, or tethered blimps, from United States Company TCOM. They are an operationally proven capability. But, the ADF is adapting them to extend its range of communications.

Major Richard Barwise from Defence’s Tactical Information Exchange Integration Office, said the ADF began trials in September to examine the potential of the capability and will continue to use the Aerostats for testing, trialling and learning for the next few years.

‘The ADF intends to put unique communications equipment on the Aerostats including current in service radios and radios developed under DMO Joint Project 2072,’ he said.

Key enhancements to ADF capability under JP2072 include networked communications systems throughout an area of operations, tactical communications for combat units and improved communications network management systems.

He said the Aerostat technology combined with the communications elements procured under JP2072 would advance Australian technology.

‘Essentially what was old [balloon technology] is new again. To extend the range of communications you need to go up,’ he said.

The benefits of a balloon over an Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) generated the ADF’s interest in using them to meet its requirements.

‘A balloon has a longer loiter time. It is able to float for about five days at a time, compared to its more modern counterpart the UAV, which has a finite flight time of hours rather than days,’ Major Barwise said.

He said preconceptions about the high visibility of the balloon as a potential negative have also proved false.

‘Aerostats have been utilised by United States Forces in the Middle East and rather than proving an obvious target, they have actually noticeably pushed the opponent back in places,’ Major Barwise said.

This effect was also noted in the 1860’s by Confederate artillery officer E.P Alexander about the use of balloons by the Union Army in the American Civil War.

Alexander said the Union balloons were worth all of their cost for the annoyance and delays they caused the Confederate Army in trying to keep their movements out of sight.

In addition to the communications capabilities, the Australian Aerostat will include elevated sensor suites and inexpensive platforms to put a camera on that can be used for battlefield surveillance.