The Airlander 10 is a 44m-wide, 26m-high airship originally developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft. However, the US scrapped the programme as part of defence funding cuts, prompting HAV to redesign the aircraft for civilian purposes.

HAV said Airlander could be used for “long-endurance airborne communications and surveillance” with the ability to carry up to 10 tonnes of logistics payload.

Filled with helium, the blimp creates lower emissions than other aircraft and has the potential to stay airborne for up to five days while fitted with computing, communications, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

Its ability to operate from any reasonably flat surface, including water, with minimal infrastructure, also offers significant mobility for defence operations.

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