Northrop Grumman LEMV
| LEMV | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Unmanned hybrid airship |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
August 7, 2012 |
| Commissioning: |
Development canceled in 2013 |
| Production time: |
only 1 prototype |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Northrop Grumman LEMV ( Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle ) is a hybrid airship that was developed for the US Army . Earlier US military airships were primarily operated by the Navy. After the test phase, the airship should be equipped with communication, reconnaissance and surveillance systems in order to carry out unmanned surveillance tasks for ground troops with long-term missions in war zones. After a first successful test flight in August 2012, the US military decided to discontinue the project due to budget cuts, technological problems and unsatisfactory performance.
history
The airship was developed and built on behalf of Northrop Grumman by the British company Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) within two years. It should be used as a reconnaissance platform in the Middle East . For this purpose, optical, infrared and radar sensors , among other things, should be integrated. The US Army officially ordered three for $ 500 million on June 14, 2010.
The 90-minute first flight took place on August 7, 2012 on the historic airship site in Lakehurst . During the test flight, all requirements were met so that it was assumed that the LEMV could be relocated to Afghanistan in spring 2013. Despite the successful maiden flight, the US military announced just two months later that there would be concerns about using the airship operationally in the war zone. In addition to security concerns and the problem of transport to Afghanistan, there is also a still unclear development schedule. Based on this criticism, the airship project was officially ended on February 14, 2013.
During its relatively short existence, the LEMV was the largest airship at the time. It was designed for both manned and autonomous operation. After the official termination of the project, Hybrid Air Vehicles bought back the rights to the airship and the prototype. In particular, requests for use in the oil or gas industry prompted the company to draw up plans for commercial use and continue the project as an Airlander .
Technical specifications
The LEMV is a hybrid airship and is powered by diesel engines from the German manufacturer Thielert . The consumption should be only ten percent of comparable aircraft. The main use should be in reconnaissance and the aircraft should be equipped with surveillance equipment after the test phase is complete. According to the manufacturer, the airship should also be used as a cargo airship and transport up to seven tons of cargo. The ratio of static and dynamic buoyancy is given as 80:20.
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 92 m |
| width | 34 m |
| height | 25.70 m |
| Envelope volume | 38,000 m³ |
| drive | 4 × diesel engine, Thielert Centurion 4.0 (220 kW) |
| Top speed | 150 km / h (80 kt) |
| Minimum speed | 56 km / h (30 kt) |
| maximum flight time | 21 days for a 1,250 kg load with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance equipment |
| maximum loading volume | 76 m³ |
| maximum payload | 7,000 kg (at 4,400 km and 56 km / h) (6,810 kg (15,000 lbs) in heavy-duty configuration) |
| Service ceiling | 6,700 m (20,000 ft) |
| Range | 2,800 to 4,450 km (1,500 nm to 2,400 nm) |
| Empty weight | k. A. |
| Crew: | both manned and unmanned |
See also
Web links
- Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) at Northrop Grumman ( Memento from November 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
- Official video of the first flight on August 7, 2012 (accessed on August 13, 2012).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Northrop Grumman airship program canceled. Flightglobal, February 15, 2013, accessed February 17, 2013 .
- ^ Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) Agreement Signed (The Official Homepage of the United States Army); June 17, 2010, accessed July 13, 2010
- ↑ US Army tests espionage blimp . Golem.de . August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- ^ Army's LEMV Surveillance Airship Flies ( Memento of February 4, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) - Aviation Week.com, August 7, 2012
- ↑ Army's Giant Spy Blimp Plan for Afghanistan Set Adrift - Wired.com, October 22, 2012
- ↑ a b c d e f g h army-technology.com: Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV), United States of America , accessed on: August 30, 2016.
- ↑ http://www.hybridairvehicles.com/about-us/our-story
- ^ Dion Nissenbaum: Builder to Ask Army for Canceled Blimp. WSJ.com, March 18, 2013, accessed March 22, 2013 .
- ↑ a b Wired.com: Army's Giant Spy Blimp Soars Over Jersey Shore in First Flight , accessed on August 9, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.pressetext.com/news/20090924018 accessed on August 30, 2016
- ↑ FlugRevue August 2010; P. 20; Army airship
- ↑ Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) at Northrop Grumman ( Memento from November 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive )