Latest news with #Aerostar
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army surveillance balloons spotted over Tucson raise privacy concerns from advocates
An Aerostar high-altitude balloon as seen from the ground in Tucson. Photo by Dugan Meyer The U.S. Army and a private company are flying high-altitude surveillance balloons over the Tucson area, raising concerns among privacy advocates. Multiple high-altitude balloons have been spotted over the Tucson and Sierra Vista area for more than a week, with one balloon in particular staying over the area longer than any of the others. That balloon, with the registration number N257TH, has made headlines in the past. The balloon is owned by South Dakota aerospace company Aerostar, and in 2023 was mistaken for a Chinese spy balloon. The balloon is actually part of Aerostar's 'Thunderhead' balloon system, which has been doing multiple tests with the military and other contractors across the nation and around the globe. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'It is a technology that should not and constitutionally cannot be applied to the American people,' Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, told the Arizona Mirror. 'Even testing for eventual overseas use in legitimate combat theaters raises a lot of questions about what kind of data is being collected.' Aerostar would not answer specific questions about what type of testing was being done. The company referred additional questions to the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army, neither of which responded to multiple requests for comment. Aerostar confirmed that the flights were not connected to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol or Department of Homeland Security programs, 'however high-altitude balloons would be ideal for that type of mission,' Aerostar Culture and Communications Director Anastasia Quanbeck said in an email to the Mirror. 'By leveraging directional wind patterns at high altitudes, Aerostar's Thunderhead Balloon Systems offer groundbreaking capabilities for navigation and persistence over areas of interest,' she said. 'Aerostar Thunderhead Balloon Systems are capable of supporting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as extending communications across wide distances, environmental monitoring, earth observation, and scientific research.' Quanbeck said she was not able to discuss the work the company does with the DOD or the Army. The 'Thunderhead' balloons are similar to 'spy balloons' that have made international headlines in recent years. They fly between 60,000 to 100,000 feet, twice the height of a commercial airliner, and can carry much larger payloads than a conventional drone or other small high altitude spy-planes. After Chinese spy-balloons made incursions into United States airspace in 2023, it was reported that the Army would begin pursuing a similar program to launch in 2025. Aerostar had previously been used in testing exercises. In the past, Aerostar has used blimps as surveillance systems. They were originally used for surveillance in combat zones overseas, then in 2012 were used along the border and still are often spotted at the border today. However, the systems that have been seen floating over southern Arizona in recent weeks have key differences from the blimps: they sit higher in the sky, are much larger, can stay afloat for much longer and can carry larger payloads. As reported by The War Zone, the Army has been researching using high-altitude balloons to deploy drone swarms into enemy territory far above the reach of enemy defenses. But the balloons over southern Arizona raise questions about privacy. In 2021, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Baltimore Police Department's use of an aerial surveillance program that recorded virtually all of the city for 12 hours a day for six months was unconstitutional. Stanley thinks that case is pertinent when talking about what may be going on in Arizona. 'I think, if anything, it becomes more sensitive when the military is doing it,' Stanley said. Wide-area persistent surveillance or wide-area airborne surveillance is a technique that got its start in early days of the Iraq war but later would find itself in the hands of police. The technology has evolved from being very heavy but is now light enough to fit onto blimps and balloons. Aerostar and the military have not elaborated on what systems are aboard the balloons over the Tucson area, but Stanley said that systems like the ones Aerostar is developing could be used to deploy persistent surveillance systems, ultimately surveilling entire communities for days on end. The Thunderhead system boasts the ability to stay afloat for up to 30 days, and Aerostar has tested it along with its Zephyr platform, a new type of unmanned aircraft that also flies at high altitudes and has been tested in Arizona. That aircraft can stay in the air for up to two months. The balloon also could be carrying a variety of equipment, such as radar, lidar, GPS or cameras, Stanley said. While much of this equipment could be installed on a traditional aircraft, the balloon can stay afloat over an area at a higher altitude for longer durations, allowing for more persistent surveillance of an area, something that Stanley said can be a problem for everyday Americans. 'Following someone around for long periods of time reveals things about their life,' Stanley said. 'How often they go to the bar, associations, who they are hanging out with — and that is too much power for the government or anyone else to have over individuals.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Rhyl Journal
25-05-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Gwynedd man home after nightmarish West Africa prison ordeal
Paul Inch, from Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd, and Richard Perham, survived inside Conakry Central Prison in Guinea - thought to be one of West Africa's most overcrowded and dangerous prisons. Then, for 42 more days, they remained trapped in Guinea, unable to leave. Now – 142 days after they first arrived in the country – they are finally flying home. They were due to land at London Heathrow at 10.30am today (Sunday, May 25). Paul, 50, and Richard, 29 of Bristol, had travelled to Guinea to support the recovery of equipment from a high-altitude research balloon. It was meant to be a simple four-day job. But within days, they were arrested and accused of espionage, sedition, breaching national defence, and violating airspace by the authorities – charges that were entirely unfounded. The men were imprisoned in Conakry Central Prison, a facility operating at 475 per cent of its capacity and notorious for inhumane conditions. Richard and Paul were locked into a swelteringly hot, overcrowded cell the size of a railway carriage, with individuals convicted of violent crimes. There was no space for personal belongings. The only toilet was a single latrine shared by the entire cell holding 80 inmates. They were extorted, threatened with sexual and physical violence, and pushed to the brink. To avoid being transferred to a more violent section of the prison, they were forced to make regular extortion payments to prisoners and staff. (Image: Office for Liz Saville Roberts MP) The prison was infested with rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. The water was so contaminated they had to disinfect their skin after washing. Both men suffered dehydration, gastrointestinal illness, and skin infections. Serious diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, and dysentery, were confirmed to be circulating in the prison at the time. There are no guards stationed inside the cell blocks. Security personnel remain at the outer gates. Inside, order is maintained by informal and often violent prisoner hierarchies. Access to food, water, safety, and medical care depends on unstable, unofficial systems of control. The company informed Guinean authorities that Richard and Paul had no role in operating the balloon, no knowledge of its technical contents, and no involvement in its flight or descent. They had not been briefed, trained, or given documentation. Their assignment was purely logistical: retrieving equipment under the understanding that all permissions had been granted. Richard and Paul had entered Guinea under contract to Aerostar International, tasked with conducting a civilian, peaceful, and lawful recovery operation. The Aerostar balloon N254TH had been diverted off course by unexpected winds and was intentionally brought down in Guinea by the company. Aerostar believed that all necessary permits for the flight and landing had been secured, but it later emerged that neither had been properly authorised. After enduring months of court hearings and delays, the two men were finally freed on bail on April 11. But they remained stuck in Conakry, without their passports and unable to leave the country for another 42 days. Speaking upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport today, Paul Inch said: "This is a nightmare we never imagined. In my work as a mountain bike guide, water safety officer, and as a volunteer with the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue, I understand the meaning of responsibility. "'I was in Guinea, doing my job, trusting that everything was in order. Yet I was locked away for 100 days in unbearable conditions." His detention also tore him away from his wife, their five children, and his three brothers. They were left to hold their families together throughout this traumatic ordeal. Richard Perham said: "We had to literally fear for our lives each day. After we had been there for two months, the UK Ambassador walked us to the prison gate, believing we were finally being released. "But a phone call to the prosecutor stopped it. We had to turn around and walk straight back in for another month. It was devastating. "This was meant to be a simple 4-day job. Instead, it became 100 days trapped in a nightmare in which I missed the first steps and first words of my baby daughter, moments I can't get back.' They both added: "We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stood by us. We would not be here today without the tireless support of our MPs, Liz Saville Roberts, and Carla Denyer, who stayed closely in touch with our families throughout.' "We're also deeply thankful to the British Embassy – especially Ambassadors Daniel Shepherd and John Marshall, and Deputy Head of Mission Mark Kelly – for their unwavering commitment." Liz Saville Roberts MP (Image: Office for Liz Saville Roberts MP) Liz Saville Roberts MP said: "I am delighted that Paul Inch and Richard Perham are at liberty at last after being held in Conkary Prison, Guniea under hideous conditions and then house arrest. "This has been a nightmare for the two men and their families and friends who have been focussed, resourceful and determined to ensure that never a day went by without seeking their release. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Foreign Office staff as well as the UK Ambassador and Embassy personnel in Guniea for their patient work in helping to secure this outcome, almost six months after the men were first seized."
North Wales Chronicle
25-05-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Gwynedd man home after nightmarish West Africa prison ordeal
Paul Inch, from Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Richard Perham, survived inside Conakry Central Prison in Guinea - thought to be one of West Africa's most overcrowded and dangerous prisons. Then, for 42 more days, they remained trapped in Guinea, unable to leave. Now – 142 days after they first arrived in the country – they are finally flying home. They were due to land at London Heathrow at 10.30am today (Sunday, May 25). Paul, 50, and Richard, 29 of Bristol, had travelled to Guinea to support the recovery of equipment from a high-altitude research balloon. It was meant to be a simple four-day job. But within days, they were arrested and accused of espionage, sedition, breaching national defence, and violating airspace by the authorities – charges that were entirely unfounded. The men were imprisoned in Conakry Central Prison, a facility operating at 475 per cent of its capacity and notorious for inhumane conditions. Richard and Paul were locked into a swelteringly hot, overcrowded cell the size of a railway carriage, with individuals convicted of violent crimes. There was no space for personal belongings. The only toilet was a single latrine shared by the entire cell holding 80 inmates. They were extorted, threatened with sexual and physical violence, and pushed to the brink. To avoid being transferred to a more violent section of the prison, they were forced to make regular extortion payments to prisoners and staff. (Image: Office for Liz Saville Roberts MP) The prison was infested with rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. The water was so contaminated they had to disinfect their skin after washing. Both men suffered dehydration, gastrointestinal illness, and skin infections. Serious diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, and dysentery, were confirmed to be circulating in the prison at the time. There are no guards stationed inside the cell blocks. Security personnel remain at the outer gates. Inside, order is maintained by informal and often violent prisoner hierarchies. Access to food, water, safety, and medical care depends on unstable, unofficial systems of control. The company informed Guinean authorities that Richard and Paul had no role in operating the balloon, no knowledge of its technical contents, and no involvement in its flight or descent. They had not been briefed, trained, or given documentation. Their assignment was purely logistical: retrieving equipment under the understanding that all permissions had been granted. Richard and Paul had entered Guinea under contract to Aerostar International, tasked with conducting a civilian, peaceful, and lawful recovery operation. The Aerostar balloon N254TH had been diverted off course by unexpected winds and was intentionally brought down in Guinea by the company. Aerostar believed that all necessary permits for the flight and landing had been secured, but it later emerged that neither had been properly authorised. After enduring months of court hearings and delays, the two men were finally freed on bail on April 11. But they remained stuck in Conakry, without their passports and unable to leave the country for another 42 days. Speaking upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport today, Paul Inch said: "This is a nightmare we never imagined. In my work as a mountain bike guide, water safety officer, and as a volunteer with the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue, I understand the meaning of responsibility. "'I was in Guinea, doing my job, trusting that everything was in order. Yet I was locked away for 100 days in unbearable conditions." His detention also tore him away from his wife, their five children, and his three brothers. They were left to hold their families together throughout this traumatic ordeal. Richard Perham said: "We had to literally fear for our lives each day. After we had been there for two months, the UK Ambassador walked us to the prison gate, believing we were finally being released. "But a phone call to the prosecutor stopped it. We had to turn around and walk straight back in for another month. It was devastating. "This was meant to be a simple 4-day job. Instead, it became 100 days trapped in a nightmare in which I missed the first steps and first words of my baby daughter, moments I can't get back.' They both added: "We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stood by us. We would not be here today without the tireless support of our MPs, Liz Saville Roberts, and Carla Denyer, who stayed closely in touch with our families throughout.' "We're also deeply thankful to the British Embassy – especially Ambassadors Daniel Shepherd and John Marshall, and Deputy Head of Mission Mark Kelly – for their unwavering commitment." Liz Saville Roberts MP (Image: Office for Liz Saville Roberts MP) Liz Saville Roberts MP said: "I am delighted that Paul Inch and Richard Perham are at liberty at last after being held in Conkary Prison, Guniea under hideous conditions and then house arrest. "This has been a nightmare for the two men and their families and friends who have been focussed, resourceful and determined to ensure that never a day went by without seeking their release. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Foreign Office staff as well as the UK Ambassador and Embassy personnel in Guniea for their patient work in helping to secure this outcome, almost six months after the men were first seized."
North Wales Live
25-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
Blaenau Ffestiniog dad-of-five spent 100 days locked in one of Africa's most dangerous prisons
A Blaenau Ffestiniog dad-of-five is heading home after spending 100 days in one of Africa's most dangerous prisons. Paul Inch, 50 of Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Richard Perham, 29 of Bristol, had travelled to Guinea to support the recovery of equipment from a high-altitude research balloon. It was meant to be a simple four-day job. But within days, they were arrested and accused of espionage, sedition, breaching national defence, and violating airspace by the authorities – charges that were entirely unfounded. The men were imprisoned in Conakry Central Prison, a facility operating at 475% of its capacity and notorious for inhumane conditions. Richard and Paul were locked into a swelteringly hot, overcrowded cell the size of a railway carriage, with individuals convicted of violent crimes. There was no space for personal belongings. The only toilet was a single latrine shared by the entire cell holding 80 inmates. They slept head-to-toe on a single mattress, locked in a dark cell beside violent offenders. The water burned their skin. Rats crawled over them at night. They were extorted, threatened with sexual and physical violence, and pushed to the brink. To avoid being transferred to a more violent section of the prison, they were forced to make regular extortion payments to prisoners and staff. The prison was infested with rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. The water was so contaminated they had to disinfect their skin after washing. Both men suffered dehydration, gastrointestinal illness, and skin infections. Serious diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, and dysentery, were confirmed to be circulating in the prison at the time. There are no guards stationed inside the cell blocks. Security personnel remain at the outer gates. Inside, order is maintained by informal and often violent prisoner hierarchies. Access to food, water, safety, and medical care depends on unstable, unofficial systems of control. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now The company informed Guinean authorities that Richard and Paul had no role in operating the balloon, no knowledge of its technical contents, and no involvement in its flight or descent. They had not been briefed, trained, or given documentation. Their assignment was purely logistical: retrieving equipment under the understanding that all permissions had been granted. Richard and Paul had entered Guinea under contract to Aerostar International, tasked with conducting a civilian, peaceful, and lawful recovery operation. The Aerostar balloon N254TH had been diverted off course by unexpected winds and was intentionally brought down in Guinea by the company. Aerostar believed that all necessary permits for the flight and landing had been secured, but it later emerged that neither had been properly authorised. After enduring months of court hearings and delays, the two men were finally freed on bail on 11 April. But they remained stuck in Conakry, without their passports and unable to leave the country for another 42 days. Now – 142 days after they first arrived in the country – they are finally flying home. They are due to land at London Heathrow at 10.30am today. Paul Inch said: "This is a nightmare we never imagined. In my work as a mountain bike guide, water safety officer, and as a volunteer with the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue, I understand the meaning of responsibility. "I was in Guinea, doing my job, trusting that everything was in order. Yet I was locked away for 100 days in unbearable conditions." His detention also tore him away from his wife, their five children, and his three brothers. They were left to hold their families together throughout this traumatic ordeal. Richard Perham said: "We had to literally fear for our lives each day. After we had been there for two months, the UK Ambassador walked us to the prison gate, believing we were finally being released. But a phone call to the prosecutor stopped it. We had to turn around and walk straight back in for another month. It was devastating. "This was meant to be a simple 4-day job. Instead, it became 100 days trapped in a nightmare in which I missed the first steps and first words of my baby daughter, moments I can't get back." Paul Inch and Richard Perham added: "We're incredibly grateful to everyone who stood by us. We would not be here today without the tireless support of our MPs, Liz Saville Roberts, and Carla Denyer, who stayed closely in touch with our families throughout. "We're also deeply thankful to the British Embassy – especially Ambassadors Daniel Shepherd and John Marshall, and Deputy Head of Mission Mark Kelly – for their unwavering commitment." Liz Saville Roberts MP said: "I am delighted that Paul Inch and Richard Perham are at liberty at last after being held in Conkary Prison, Guniea under hideous conditions and then house arrest. "This has been a nightmare for the two men and their families and friends who have been focussed, resourceful and determined to ensure that never a day went by without seeking their release. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Foreign Office staff as well as the UK Ambassador and Embassy personnel in Guniea for their patient work in helping to secure this outcome, almost six months after the men were first seized." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's happening near you
