News

Actions

NORAD wants to resume tests with radar balloons

Posted at 5:29 PM, Feb 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-12 17:30:17-05

NORAD wants to resume testing of giant radar balloons which were grounded at Aberdeen Proving Ground after one broke free last year, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

Maj. Beth Smith, spokeswoman for NORAD, tells The Baltimore Sun that the agency wants to resume the test, which was supposed to run for three years.

More money is needed for the test, and Congress cut much of the funding for the project.

Officials say Defense Secretary Ash Carter has signed off on the plan to resume testing.

In October, one of two unmanned blimps broke loose from its mooring at Aberdeen and floated over Pennsylvania for hours with two fighter jets on its tail, triggering blackouts across the countryside as it dragged its tether across power lines.

Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone, Kindle and Android.