Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
    • F-L
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
    • M-S
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
    • T-Z
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    • March 2025
    • Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    • Showcase 2025
    • September 2024
    • June 2024
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Subscribe to magazine Subscribe to email newsletter Media Pack
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    1. March 2025
    2. Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    3. Showcase 2025
    4. September 2024
    5. June 2024
    6. March 2024
    7. Archive Issues
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    19th March 2025

    In this issue: March 2025

    Online Magazines By Ben Sampson
    Recent

    In this issue: March 2025

    19th March 2025
    contents and front cover of magazine

    In this issue: December / January 2025

    19th December 2024
    Showcase 2025

    In this issue – Showcase 2025

    6th November 2024
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
Technology

BAE Systems and Hybrid Air Vehicles to partner on Airlander applications

Ben SampsonBy Ben Sampson14th September 20233 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
Airlander 10
The Airlander’s design has been refined using learnings from flight tests with the US Army’s Long Endurance Multi Intelligence Vehicle (Image: Airlander)

Hybrid Air Vehicles and BAE Systems are exploring potential defense and security applications for the Airlander hybrid airship.

The partnership between BAE Systems’ innovation unit FalconWorks and Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) will look at possible applications including airborne defense logistics and long-endurance airborne communications and surveillance with large payloads.

The agreement covers the scoping of collaborations on technical programs, the exploration of potential defence market opportunities for Airlander and related supporting activity.

The Airlander was initially developed for the US Air Force with logistics and Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) uses in mind, as part of a project that started in 2009. After that program was canceled, HAV purchased the prototype and switched it to a commercial project. The airship made its first flight in August 2016.

HAV has secured orders from the European regional operator Air Nostrum for the Airlander 10, which will have a range of 4,600 miles (7,400km), a top speed of around 85mph (km/h) and will be able to stay airborne for up to five days.

The 302 x 143ft (92 x 43.5m) helium-filled airship is part lighter-than-air blimp and part airplane. Its shape is designed to minimize fuel usage through the additional lift it gives the airship.

HAV said that in defence logistics Airlander 10 could carry up to 10 tonnes of payload, providing longer-range, lower-cost and higher capacity air transport than today’s military transport helicopters.

The company also has variants of the Airlander in development that would be capable of carrying higher payloads

Dave Holmes, managing director of FalconWorks, BAE Systems Air said, “The changing character of conflict is driving new and novel approaches across the defence sector, including using new sources of synthetic and sustainable power, new materials and new processes that allow us to harness sustainable tech right from the outset.

“We’re excited to work closely with the Hybrid Air Vehicles team to jointly explore and advance Airlander’s potential defence and security capabilities.”

Tom Grundy, CEO of Hybrid Air Vehicles said, “I’m thrilled to announce this MoU with BAE Systems, the UK’s pre-eminent defence and security company, the perfect partner to accelerate the development of modified Airlander systems for the global defence market. This announcement demonstrates the significant momentum that we have built behind the Airlander project, and we are looking forward to carrying that with us into the next, crucial stage of starting production of Airlander 10.”

HAV is also working with the US Navy to assess the potential use of the Airlander airship as a logistics platform.

 

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleTesting Talk: Dan Robinson, founder and CEO of Red 6
Next Article World’s largest dedicated aerospace testing show opens Tuesday
Ben Sampson

Ben has worked as a journalist and editor, covering technology, engineering and industry for the last 20 years. Initially writing about subjects from nuclear submarines to autonomous cars to future design and manufacturing technologies, he was editor of a leading UK-based engineering magazine before becoming editor of Aerospace Testing in 2017.

Related Posts

Defense

South Korea tests photonic radar for drone detection

22nd April 20252 Mins Read
Defense

Extended Reality technology enables remote aircraft inspection

17th April 20252 Mins Read
signing ceremony
Industry News

Boeing joins project to build world’s first eSAF plant

22nd January 20252 Mins Read
Latest Posts

Boom picks Colorado for Symphony engine testing

8th May 2025

T-7A Red Hawk completes successful Escape System Sled Test

8th May 2025

Autonomous Black Hawk helicopter tested for firefighting

7th May 2025
Supplier Spotlights
Our Social Channels
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Getting in Touch
  • Subscribe To Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Media Pack
Related Topics
  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Business Jet Interiors
FREE WEEKLY NEWS EMAIL!

Get the 'best of the week' from this website direct to your inbox every Wednesday

© 2023 Mark Allen Group Ltd | All Rights Reserved
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.