In the era of $300 million fighter jets, satellite-guided rockets and complicated battlefield computer networks, Multimax Inc. is trying to revive an old-fashioned technology to thrust the information technology firm onto the front line. The Largo company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this new project, the design looks like an elliptical UFO, but the result will be familiar: It's a blimp.

"It is somewhat uncharted waters" for the firm, said Ron Oholendt, a retired Air Force colonel and the program manager. The company has enlisted help from NASA and scientists at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, which is analyzing the design, and last year began hunting for support from the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security or the Director of National Intelligence. With $14 million, the company could finish building and test a prototype for its airship, which they call the Maxflyer, Oholendt said. The company plans to submit a proposal for the system with the Homeland Security Department on Friday, he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...AR2006080600499.html

Interesting, we go back to an older technology and find a useful advantage in it. And more and more of the troops are picking up 7.62mm weapons....

....Maybe we should re-examine that whole pointy rock at the end of a stick thing?

I've seen more than one "technology toy" bite the dust as we lose the whole cold war mentality. Maybe them "old" guys who remember the days before the cold war should take a look at fighting an insurgency and the war on terror?

I have an aerostat flying over my house (border patrol- I'm 12 miles from the border). I have no idea what the hell it does.

I always had the crazy thought of how things would be if we would go back to medival warfare. How many people would actually be willing to hack someone to death and vice versa. Maybe I should lay off the Copenhagen.

Marines are well known for using bladed weapons, the e-tool is a fine example.

I have a MultiMax team that is partnered with us on our NMCI project.