Article Posted on : - Jun 16, 2010

An artist's conception of the airship. A Northrop Photo

BETHPAGE, US (BNS): The US Army troops in Afghanistan will be aided by a new hybrid unmanned airship which will provide them "an unblinking, persistent eye" in the strife-torn region.

The new airship weapons system with a size just larger than the length of a football field, will be designed, developed and flight tested by Northrop Grumman.

The US defence company has been awarded a $517 million contract by the US Army to design up to three Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) systems.

Under the agreement, the company will design, develop and test a long-duration hybrid airship system within the next 18 months, and then transport the asset to the Middle East for military assessment, Northrop said in a statement.

The LEMV will sustain altitudes of 20,000 feet for a three-week period and will operate within national and international airspace. It will be forward-located to support extended geostationary operations from austere operating locations using beyond-line-of-sight command and control.

Northrop will provide system integration expertise and flight and ground control operations for the safe take off and landing of the unmanned vehicle for worldwide operations. The company has teamed up with other industry majors to develop the new aircraft.