Hydrogen Blimps With Lasers Are Needed For Overhead Shipping Channel Ice Breaking



One of the challenges for the US Navy is that as the ships get bigger it makes it hard for them to navigate the locks in Panama, meaning they have to go around South America or through the Northwest Passage which is only possible in the summertime or when the ice is cleared. What if we could find an easier way to rapidly cut through the ice? What if we used high-energy lasers for the cutting? What if we used aerial assets to sense the thickness of the ice and choose the most optimal route, and then cut the path for the lead ship below and then followed by the convoy? Is this possible? Well it just might be.

Currently, getting through the ice is a huge challenge not to mention the problems with our dwindling fleet. The US Navy needs more ships for its fleet, so too does the US Coast Guard (USCG). We definitely need ice breaker ships. In fact the USCG Official Website states under the acquisition page;

"The Coast Guard requires at least two new heavy icebreakers to ensure continued access to both polar regions and support the country's economic, commercial, maritime and national security needs. The operational polar ice breaking fleet currently includes one 399-foot heavy icebreaker (Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, commissioned in 1976) and one 420-foot medium icebreaker (Coast Guard Cutter Healy, commissioned in 2000). These cutters are designed for open-water ice breaking and feature reinforced hulls and specially angled bows."

These icebreaker ship assets are extremely expensive to build, so I propose another way to do this:

1.) Fly a tethered dirigible at 800 to 1500 AGL with a laser payload.

2.) The Tether is a hose which allows hydrogen (for the laser) to flow through it.

3.) The Sensors on the dirigible determine the best path (thinnest ice) using AI and routing algorithms.

4.) The lead ship would follow the path cut, and churn the ice which is severely weakened.

5.) The convoy would follow the exact path using the same strategy as flight following systems and GPS.

There was an interesting paper in Airborne Geophysics (APPGEO1182R1) titled: "Helicopter-borne measurements of sea ice thickness, using a small and lightweight, digital EM system Article Type: Special Issue: Airborne Geophysics," by Christian Haas; John Lobach; Stefan Hendricks; Lasse Rabenstein; Andreas Pfaffling. The abstract states:

"Sea ice is an important climate variable and is also an obstacle for marine operations in polar regions. We have developed a small and lightweight, digital frequency-domain electromagnetic-induction (EM) system, a so-called EM bird, dedicated for measurements of sea ice thickness. 3.5 m long and weighing only 105 kg, it can easily be shipped to remote places and can be operated from icebreakers and small helicopters. Here, we describe the technical design of the bird operating at two frequencies of f1 = 3.68 kHz and f2 = 112 kHz, and study its technical performance. On average, noise amounts to ±8.5 ppm and ±17.5 ppm for f1 and f2, respectively. Electrical drift amounts to 200 ppm/h and 2000 ppm/h for f1 and f2, during the first 0.5 h of operation. It is reduced by 75% after two hours."

Another research paper; "The Navy's high-energy laser weapon system," by Joung R. Cook and John R. Albertine, (Proc. SPIE 2988, Free-Electron Laser Challenges, 264 (May 15, 1997); doi:10.1117/12.274390) notes in its abstract:

"Over the past 25 years, in an attempt to develop a speed-of- light hard-kill weapon system, the U.S. Navy has successfully reduced megawatt-class chemical laser and high power beam control technologies to engineering practice. This Navy program was established during the cold war era when defending naval battle group was the primary concern of the U.S. Navy."

The high-energy laser could use power from the ship and that power could be delivered by cable - OR - the dirigible could reflect the laser and be fully contained within the lead ship. Please consider all this, yes, I have sketches and drawings and a small plan.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Military Technologies. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net.
Previous Post Next Post
  • The 8 Most Engrossing Los Angeles 80's Tribute Bands

    Los Angeles is best known for its entertainment in the whole world. As the capital of the tribute bands in the USA nobody can cast doubt on its potential and great talent. A large number of these tribute bands started as mere side ventures of local artists which eventually turned ou... Readmore

  • Set budget for your money

        How much you earn does not matter if you don't manage your monies well. There have been cases where people have become bankrupt just because of poor management of money and some with simple money management have managed to improve their financial status and eventually their li... Readmore

  • Top Reasons to Opt for Invisalign London

        There are countless reasons why you should consider investing in a smile correcting solution such as invisalign London, one of them being the fact that no one will be able to tell you are wearing braces London. The truth is that this particular treatment will allow you to achie... Readmore

  • What you need to know about Auto Insurance

    Accidents are one of the most common scenarios on the streets with over 10 million accidents happening each year. It is, therefore, mandatory for everyone to have an insurance policy which is guaranteed to keep you and your vehicle safe on the road. When going into insurance, it is advisabl... Readmore

  • After Marriage to Do-List?

    Since you've said "I do," it's an ideal opportunity to genuinelyget to be accomplices in life. Marriage ties your livestogether. The demonstration of getting hitched, while extremelysentimental, impact sly affects both your monetary circumstanceand lawful matters. Perused on for a couple of speed... Readmore

  • How Do You Buy Your Wiccan Supplies?

    Whether you are looking for witchcraft supplies for Halloween festivities or you are a strong believer in Wiccan, you must look for the right ritual gear. Without the right tools it will definitely prove difficult for you to get any ritual done and because there are so many stores f... Readmore

  • Tips To Help You Set Up Your First Wiccan Altar

    Wiccan altar is the place used for prayer and worship in wiccan religion. The raised structure contains functional and symbolic items for the purposes of worshipping god and the goddess, saying prayers, chants and casting spells. The altar will be your personal place as a practition... Readmore

  • Therapy: Can Someone Become Dependent On Their Therapist If They Are Emotionally Unstable?

    When someone is in a position where they find it hard to feel at peace within, it can be a challenge for them to be able to handle life. This is down to the fact that this could be something that affects every part of it. And if they were to think about how long their life has been ... Readmore

  • Bizarro World

    It has been a strange week. In the US, we had a surprise outcome to the election (although I feel the surprises aren't done, keep reading for more). Tuesday evening, while the votes were still being tallied, someone emailed me that they were losing their shit. "Where's my Parallel U... Readmore

  • Funding Your Early Education Company

    Many of us need money from other people to start and grow companies. The money comes from banks, partners, investors, venture capitalists, equity funds... and/or our closest friends and family. No matter what the source is, understand two things. One, there is always a cost to using... Readmore