Around the turn of the century Lockheed Martin (LMT) was one of three organizations to received $2
million from The Missile Defense Agency for a preliminary concept to work on high altitude airships. 1
On September 29th, 2003 The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a second phase
contract worth $40 million to design and develop a high altitude airship. Work was to be performed at
Lockheed’s facility, known as the “Airdock” in Akron, Ohio. 2 However the entire operation was plagued
with delays and setbacks. At one point Lockheed was fined over $60 thousand when PCB’s were found
in the old Akron Airdock. 3
In March 2004, Governor Taft of Ohio offered an assistance package totaling $12.3 million dollars to
help update and modernize the 1,200 foot long hanger. The package was contingent upon Lockheed
receiving the final prototype production phase, worth $50 million dollars. However, the third and final
phase of $50 million dollars was never awarded. 4 , 4a Senator Daniel Inouye confirmed this fact by
referring to the high altitude project as struggling and over budget on May 12, 2005. “I understand you
are currently considering whether to withdraw from the high-altitude airship program due to cost of
schedule overruns. Nevertheless, we recognize that missile defense is technologically challenging." 5
By the end of April 2004, Sanswire had been acquired by GlobelTel Communications (GTE). GlobeTel
displayed a live working demonstration of Stratellite communications within three months of the Sanswire
acquisition. 6
On December 14th, 2004 the media reported that the US Army Space & Missile Defense Command
(SMDC) was interested in the Sanswire project and publicly called for more investment into high altitude
airships. Stewart Stout, a member of the SMDC, stated, "The Army is interested in this type of capability.
We would like to start an interchange of ideas and technologies for stratospheric airships. Technologies
like the Stratellite can be used for numerous military applications such as a battlefield resource, border
control and surveillance, communications and homeland security. We look forward to attending the
conference." (Notice interchange of ideas and technologies) 7 A December 4th Economist magazine
also featured GlobeTel in one of their articles, headlined “Not quite out of this world”. 8
By January 12th, 2005 the list of interested organizations increased dramatically. The U.S. Air Force and
NASA were among those organizations. 9 Twelve days later former Space Shuttle commander Rick
Searfoss joined the Sanswire’s board of directors. 10
A two day international summit was presented by Sanswire in late February of 2005. Over one hundred
VIP’s which included the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, SPAWAR, NASA, Air Force Space Command, Air
Force research Lab, NavAirSyscom (Navy), and CECOM U.S. Army. 11 Within five days of the event,
NASA engineer Robert Jones quit his job at NASA, and joined Sanswire as President of the
Governmental Division. 12
New President Robert Jones hired a team of engineers that even Lockheed would envy. 13 , 14, 15, 16,
17 The Sanswire project would now be moved to Edwards Air Force base, exactly where Lockheed’s
Skunkworks is located. 18 Lockheed had to take notice of their new competitor. A completely obscure
company months ago with no income, forms a world class team and sets up shop in the same airbase.
Something just doesn’t make sense.
However, if you consider that Sanswire found a larger partner, the story begins to make perfect sense.
CEO Timothy Huff touched on this fact several months ago when he said the Stratellite project was fully
funded. 19 Who is fully funding the project? I believe Sanswire’s secretive partner is Lockheed Martin.
Where Lockheed will benefit from the defense industry, Sanswire’s subsidiary GlobeTel Communications
will benefit from the commercial side of the technology.
I find it ironic that after Sanswire demonstrated their technology to the military on November 15th,
Lockheed received a $149 million contract 24 days later. 20, 21 (When did Lockheed demonstrate their
technology?)
In January Tim Huff also announced that Sanswire 2 was going to be sent out for testing in February.
22 I find it ironic that Lockheed Martin launched their airship at the same timeframe, and Sanswire never
announced their dates of actual testing. 23
Before Sanswire moved operations to Edwards Air Force base, the Sanswire team was working on a
design in a tunnel that was somehow leaked to the public. I want everyone to notice the similarities
between the design Sanswire was working on, and Lockheed’s airship in the photo. The only difference
is the Lockheed model has four fins in the tail, where the four foot Sanswire model has three fins in the
tail.
LEAKED VIDEO: http://tinyurl.com/dvdl5
LOCKHEED PHOTO: http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?
id=news/020606p2.xml
But don't count out The Boeing Company. For decades Boeing has taken a back seat to Lockheed
Martin when it came to aerial reconnaissance aircraft. Lockheed dominated by deploying the U2 in 1955,
and the SR71 in 1966. By the mid 90's Lockheed and Boeing were in the middle of a partnership to
design an unmanned drone for the U.S. Military. This classified aircraft was called the Darkstar.
However In 1994 a smaller defense company called General Atomics shocked everyone by unveiling the
unmanned Predator drone. The Predator outperformed the Darkstar by remaining in the sky four times
longer. By 2001 General Atomics had perfected the Predator drone by unveiling a new version called
the Predator B. The improved design was able to be armed with Hellfire missiles, normally launched from
an Apache. Boeing and Lockheed learned their lesson, the next aerial reconnaissance aircraft will have
long endurance by remaining in the sky and be armed to the teeth.
According to Space.com, their prediction of a partnership would most likely be Raytheon.
Sanswire Networks says they are years ahead of every known project to produce the first unmanned
high-altitude airship. If Sanswire doesn't already have a partnership, they just might have one in the
coming months. Because without a partnership, Sanswire Networks will have a huge takeover target on
their back if Sanswire succeeds.
-Matthew Best
OTHER SOURCES:
5. Washington Transcipt Service; 5/11/2005 HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2006 APPROPRIATIONS
FOR THE MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM – LIEUTENANT GENERAL HENRY OBERING III, DIRECTOR,
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
GENERAL JAMES CARTWRIGHT, COMMANDER, U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND
6. Business Wire - GlobeTel Completes Acquisition of Sanswire Technologies. 4/28/04 Business
Wire – Sanswire Networks Demonstration a Success. 7/14/04
7. Business Wire – GlobeTel Announces Partners and Technology Summit. 12/14/04
9. Business Wire - GTEL Announces CEO Meeting with U.S. Armed Forces. 1/12/05
10. Business Wire - GlobeTel Announces Selection of Former Astronaut and Space Shuttle
Commander Rick Searfoss to Sanswire Board of Directors. 1/24/05
| Sanswire and a Major Partnership By Matthew Best 3/2/06 (7/25/06 Revised) |
