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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/07/06/gulf.oil.disaster/t1main.blimp.navy.jpg caption="A massive, silver-colored blimp is to arrive in the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, where it will fly over the region to track where the oil is flowing and how it is coming ashore."]

Blimp to fly over Gulf to track oil, aid response efforts

(CNN) – A massive, silver-colored blimp is expected to arrive in the Gulf Coast on Tuesday to aid in oil disaster response efforts.

The U.S. Navy airship will be used to detect oil, direct skimming ships and look for wildlife that may be threatened by oil, the Coast Guard said Monday.

The 178-foot-long blimp, known as the MZ-3A, can carry a crew of up to 10. It will fly slowly over the region to track where the oil is flowing and how it is coming ashore.

The Navy says the advantage of the blimp over current helicopter surveillance operations is that it can stay aloft longer, with lower fuel costs, and can survey a wider area.

The Coast Guard has already been pinpointing traveling pools of oil from the sky.

"The aircraft get on top of the oil. They can identify what type of oil it is and they can vector in the skimmer vessels right to the spot," Coast Guard Capt. Brian Kelley said. Read more

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