Northrop Grumman awarded contract for US Army Airship

A new hybrid airship weapons system, larger than the length of a football field will take to the skies in 18 months to provide an unblinking, persistent eye for more than three weeks at a time to aid US Army troops in Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced that it has been awarded a $517 million (Rs 2,417 crore) agreement to develop up to three long endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV) systems for the US Army. The company has designed a system with plug-andplay capability to readily integrate into the Army’s existing common ground station command centres and ground troops in forward operating bases—the main objective to provide the US warfighters with persistent ISR capability to increase awareness of the ever changing battlefield.

Under the agreement, awarded by the US Army Space and Missile Defence Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, Northrop Grumman will design, develop and test a long-duration hybrid airship system within an 18-month timeframe and then transport the asset to the Middle East for military assessment.

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