Eye in the sky watches over JBB

Airman 1st Class Ashley Thomas, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron aerostat center line operator, assists with lowering the aerostat at Joint Base Balad. This was the first time an aerostat was launched at JBB and the first time it was operated by Airmen. The aerostat is an Army asset. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jeffrey Schultze)

Eye in the sky watches over JBB

Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron perform an initial lauch and recovery of an aerostat June 3 at Joint Base Balad. The four airmen first class, who are all deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., trained for three weeks to be the first Airmen to operate an aerostat. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jeffrey Schultze)

Eye in the sky watches over JBB

Published June 4, 2011
By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an aerostat?

History was made June 3 as an aerostat, an Army asset, was launched for the first time by Airmen who were from the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

This is also the first aerostat to be launched at Joint Base Balad.

An aerostat is an airship, similar to a blimp, equipped with a camera that will provide an additional surveillance tool for the 332nd ESFS. The camera is used to detect cruise missiles and be able to see enemies trying to plant bombs at the base's perimeter.

"The aerostat helps the squadron patrol the area for suspicious activity to eliminate indirect fire," said Senior Master Sgt. Darrin Hooten, 332nd Security Forces Group Operations superintendent, who is deployed here from Royal Air Force Alconbury, England.

"At 800 feet in the air, the aerostat will provide a constant stare in high-threat areas to help detect and deter the enemy," continued the Torrance, Calif., native.

The aerostat is tethered to a base and floats because of helium. It is made of hard canvas which makes it durable, waterproof and weather resistant.

It also only takes six to eight people to operate.

"Two teams of eight Airmen went through three weeks of training and they will receive two more weeks of over-the-shoulder training," said Michael Lewis, CACI constructor from Phenix City, Ala.

There are currently more than a dozen aerostats being used within the area of responsibility.

"I am proud to be a part of something historical that is also providing security for the base," said Airman 1st Class Ashley Thomas, 332nd ESFS center line operator, deployed here from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and originally from Chatsworth, Calif.

Balloons in the military is not a new concept. They were used in one of the first example of air power for the military during the Civil War in 1861 by Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, to telegraph enemy positions.