LEMV readied for November flight

Photo Northrop Grumman

14 Oct 2011 By: Zach Rosenberg Flight Global

Washington DC - The Northrop Grumman/Hybrid Air Vehicles long-endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV) is now scheduled to fly in November after a three-month delay.

LEMV is now running more than a month behind its scheduled first flight, which was revealed in June at the Paris Air Show. The delays have not been publicly explained.

The hybrid airship is now in a hangar, with all 19 sections inflated and sensors integrated, according to sources with knowledge of the programme.

LEMV is being built under a $500 million signed last June with the Space and Missile Defense Command, a branch of the US army. It is widely believed to be purchased by the command on behalf of the army's special operations community.

Lighter-than-air aircraft designs have historically been used for everything from surveillance to antisubmarine warfare. They fell out of favour during the Cold War, but have regained interest with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where commanders are requesting persistent surveillance in a region with no airborne threats.