Army balloon deflated, QUESTIONS remain

[webfact]

OPINION

Army balloon deflated, QUESTIONS remain

By The Nation

 

The surveillance dirigible that cost us at least Bt400 million provided zero assistance in calming the troubled South

 

Though the Army isn’t about to admit it blundered in purchasing an expensive surveillance airship in the first place, it is of course right to decommission the useless ornament, since maintenance costs would continue being prohibitive. Now we’d like to hear the rest of the story. If the ruling junta wishes to demonstrate its seriousness about reforming key institutions, this is a good place to start.

 

How did we end up paying so much for nothing more than a bag of air?

 

In 2009 the Democrat Party-led government of the day approved the Army’s request for Bt350 million to buy the airship from US-based Worldwide Aero Corp. It was to be used in observing insurgent |movements in the southern border provinces, then in the third year of a renewed and bloody insurrection. The ship itself cost Bt260 million and the rest was for cameras, including night-vision cameras, and the control system on the ground. Even at the time, critics were pointing out that the dirigible on its own could be had for Bt30 million-Bt50 million.

 

A more serious problem soon became apparent. The aircraft was supposedly designed to fly at 1,000 metres, well beyond the range of bullets from the M-16 and AK-47 rifles commonly used by southern insurgents. But when the airship arrived in June 2009, was sent to Pattani province that December and was tested for the first time on January 15, 2010, it could only rise to 300 metres – within range of those weapons.

 

In the seven years since, the airship has rarely been used in any sort of operation, but it’s cost the Army more than Bt50 million in repairs and maintenance. There was a  dangerous leak that required the ship to be completely refilled with expensive helium. There was even a crash in December 2012, fortunately without injury. And meanwhile there has never been a single report of the airship achieving anything along the lines of what it was intended to do.

 

No military personnel involved in the purchase have ever admitted responsibility in this significant waste of taxpayers’ money. General Anupong Paojinda, who was Army chief when the project was approved and is now Interior minister, will say only that he’s had |nothing to do with the airship since retiring from the service seven years ago. And Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who in his turn as Army boss sanctioned a Bt50-million repair job for the blimp, gets furious when reporters ask him about it.

 

The man currently leading the Army, General Chalermchai Sitthisart, is fundamentally doing damage control on the issue. He ordered that the dual-camera surveillance system on board be moved to another aircraft that can make actual use of it, as recommended by Internal Security Operations Command Area 4. He ordered that the trailer truck used to haul the dirigible around be auctioned off. (The Army will pocket the proceeds.)

 

The balloon was not the first boondoggle in the Thai military’s procurement of hardware. Even more embarrassing – because the world found out about it – was the costly GT200 bomb detector that security forces swore was delivering good results despite it being |little more than a plastic box. That was another Anupong purchase under Democrat auspices. Its maker was convicted of fraud in Britain. No one here has said anything further about it.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30327104

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-19

[George Bowman]

Maybe, this style of balloons might work.

[petermik]

Like many things here just "pie in the sky".........

[British Bulldog]

So they can't hang this "Balloon" expense onto Yingluck as she didn't become Prime Minister until 2011 !!!  .... so who was before her ... another Military coup ?

[Reigntax]

16 minutes ago, British Bulldog said:

So they can't hang this "Balloon" expense onto Yingluck as she didn't become Prime Minister until 2011 !!!  .... so who was before her ... another Military coup ?

 Im sure the military are trying to work out a way.

[Srikcir]

41 minutes ago, British Bulldog said:

So they can't hang this "Balloon" expense onto Yingluck as she didn't become Prime Minister until 2011 !!!  .... so who was before her ... another Military coup ?

"the Democrat Party-led government of the day approved the Army’s request for Bt350 million to buy the airship". Abhisit was the PM.

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He ordered that the trailer truck used to haul the dirigible around be auctioned off. (The Army will pocket the proceeds.)

If the trailer truck (and any part of the airship systems) was acquired with Treasury funds, ie., authorized by the Abhisit government, then the resale proceeds should go back to the Treasury. The Treasury is funded from Thai tax revenues and not by the military. Sale proceeds from government property belong to the Thai taxpayer and not to the military.

But perhaps the current military government does not distinguish Treasury funds from military slush funds. It controls both.

"What's in your wallet today?"

"Everything."

[rkidlad]

Corruption here. Corruption there. And seemingly not a single person with any kind of power who wants to change it. Just one group telling another group that they can't do it as well.

 

Roll the next coup.....or whatever else there is in store. 

[silent]

27 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Corruption here. Corruption there. And seemingly not a single person with any kind of power who wants to change it. Just one group telling another group that they can't do it as well.

 

Roll the next coup.....or whatever else there is in store. 

Some people are happy being coupless 

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Army balloon deflated, QUESTIONS remain

Bit like democracy then

[SteveB2]

Someone should buy this 'for a song', fill it with el-cheapo hydrogen... and use it for a yet to be announced civilian purpose.

 

You see, contrary to popular opinion, pure hydrogen filled air ships are quite difficult to set on fire...

 

This is since hydrogen without oxygen doesn't burn or explode - you'll need more than 3.5 Oxygen in the mix for it to become flammable.

 

Divers have even breathed Hydrogen/Helium/Oxygen mixes without explosion issues.

 

Density of Helium and Hydrogen gases is similar - so the hydrogen gas substituion(for helium) should make little difference to the airship bouyancy. 

 

No doubt the 300m hight limitations they discovered were due to additional equipment added - remove it. 

 

Running costs are excessive, since it would be expected to lose 15 cubic meters of helium/day - this will cost about USD500/day or USD182,500/year = THB6,000,000/year

... and that ignores the initial filling costs

 

Lack of engineering expertise in this country leads to massive losses in ongoing civilian and military projects - stuff lies rotting unused and un repaired all over the LOS.

 

I wonder where they're keeping the remains - I may have to treat myself 

 

 

[Happyman58]

Whats 400 million Baht Nothing?  Hey we had fun flying it 2 times did we not? Thailand has got plenty of money Wont even be missed this sum Also we wont tell any of the Thai people we just blew 400 Million I am sure they will see it as just another misunderstanding No problem

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the airship arrived in June 2009, was sent to Pattani province that December and was tested for the first time on January 15, 2010

Six months after delivery before testing its airworthiness. Probably no warranty left but the cost is not the military's dime.

[JCauto]

So we can look forward to the trial of Abhisit for being putatively in charge of whatever committee decides defense procurement, no? 

[mettech]

They forgot to verify the PLUG

[nausea]

The powers that be are a bit like Nelson and his blind eye; when they look with the good eye they see Yingluck, when they look with the blind eye: "I see no corruption". In Thailand Lady Justice doesn't wear a blindfold, she wears an eyepatch.

[wakeupplease]

12 minutes ago, nausea said:

The powers that be are a bit like Nelson and his blind eye; when they look with the good eye they see Yingluck, when they look with the blind eye: "I see no corruption". In Thailand Lady Justice doesn't wear a blindfold, she wears an eyepatch.

Now here was thinking she might be colour sensitive and yellow is her favourite colour.

With comments I have seen today (nextdoor) it does make me wonder if the area should be re-named starting with a letter L>>>>>>>

[gk10002000]

Air ships can be a viable surveillance platform, but with the advances in batteries, Drones, low power electronics, lightweight cameras (both visible and infra red) they can in general be replaced by off the shelf Unmanned vehicles or drones of various sizes.  There are many small ones and many medium sized ones that just don't require much logistical support or user training. 

[Thian]

12 hours ago, SteveB2 said:

This is since hydrogen without oxygen doesn't burn or explode - you'll need more than 3.5 Oxygen in the mix for it to become flammable.

My chemistry teacher did this once in our classroom.

 

A small balloon filled with hydrogen and he put a burning cigaret against it, the explosion looked like the mushroomshaped cloud of a nuclear bomb...it exploded immediately. I loved experiments like that.

[YetAnother]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

General Anupong Paojinda, who was Army chief when the project was approved and is now Interior minister, will say only that he’s had |nothing to do with the airship since retiring from the service seven years ago.

this is what passes for logic here; and they are in decision-making capacities !