US Army backs giant surveillance balloons with $447m contract despite growing threat from drones
US Army backs giant surveillance balloons with $447m contract despite growing threat from drones US Army commits $447 million to surveillance balloons despite drone vulnerabilities Cheap drones continue challenging expensive military surveillance systems across modern battlefields Hezbollah attacks exposed growing risks facing large airborne surveillance platforms during conflicts The US Army has awarded TCOM LP a contract worth as much as $447 million to continue producing, deploying, and supporting its Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered aerostat fleet. The award signals continued confidence in large surveillance balloons despite increasing reliance across modern militaries on budget drones , satellites, and autonomous platforms. Analysts have questioned whether these highly visible systems can remain effective against increasingly sophisticated adversaries capable of detecting and destr...

