Overview
- The Ministry of Defence has approved full-scale production of surveillance balloons under Project Aether following successful prototype tests.
- Secret trials in South Dakota proved a coordinated balloon constellation operating at 60,000 to 80,000 feet could deliver nearly a month of uninterrupted coverage.
- Each uncrewed platform can carry sensor payloads up to 3kg, cover more than 2,000 nautical miles and support both reconnaissance and communications missions.
- Officials say the low-cost balloons could also aid disaster relief by delivering high-speed internet and support weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
- The programme is intended to bolster Britain’s near-space posture against Chinese surveillance activities and pave the way for allied collaboration.