One of two tethered US Army aerostats that can be seen floating above Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, has broken free from its tether and is moving in a northeast trajectory.
The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) consists of both a fire control system aerostat and a surveillance aerostat and is undergoing operational exercises at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The surveillance aerostat detached from its mooring station at 12:20 p.m. EST today, NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek told Defense News.
The aerostat was last seen traveling over Pennsylvania and is being trailed by two F-16 fighter jets from Atlantic City, New Jersey, Kucharek said.
UPDATE The blimp has been spotted over Bloomsburg, PA.
@ABC @GMA Landed in bloomsburg right by my school. Knocked out the power at CMVT. pic.twitter.com/WLJydKVf2I
— Fisher P Creasy (@FPCreasy) October 28, 2015