A helium-filled airship that carries aerial radar to detect drug-smuggling and other illegal activities is tethered to a ship at a Navy dock in Key West, Florida, USA. Officially called an aerostat, the big balloon is locally known as "Fat Albert" and began operating in the area between the Florida Keys and Cuba in the 1980s. Tethered by a single cable, the unmanned blimp can be floated up to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4672 meters) and give radar coverage over 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers). It is now one of eight aerostats providing surveillance along America's southern border.
A helium-filled airship that carries aerial radar to detect drug-smuggling and other illegal activities is tethered to a ship at a Navy dock in Key West, Florida, USA. Officially called an aerostat, the big balloon is locally known as "Fat Albert" and began operating in the area between the Florida Keys and Cuba in the 1980s. Tethered by a single cable, the unmanned blimp can be floated up to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4672 meters) and give radar coverage over 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers). It is now one of eight aerostats providing surveillance along the Florida Straits, the southwest border of the United States and Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Size: 4043px × 2650px
Location: Key West, Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida, USA
Photo credit: © Michele and Tom Grimm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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