LEMV: Army’s All Seeing Blimp Takes Flight, As Big As A Football Field

The first flight primary objective was to perform a safe launch and recovery with a secondary objective to verify the flight control system operation. Additional first flight objectives included airworthiness testing and demonstration, and system level performance verification. All objectives were met during the first flight. 

The LEMV is an optionally manned or unmanned air vehicle which was manned during this flight. Additional manned flights will resume following a planned and very detailed inspection of the vehicle. Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for LEMV, is working with their international partner Hybrid Air Vehicle of the United Kingdom as a major subcontractor.

For more than 90 minutes, Aug. 7, the hybrid air vehicle known as the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle stayed afloat above Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

The Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle, or LEMV, like a blimp, is capable of carrying multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads for more than 21 days at altitudes greater than 22,000 feet. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command conducted the first flight test of vehicle.

“Murphy Bays” on the LEMV on the LEMV can carry a wide variety of sensors and equipment, and design specifications for the LEMV require the vehicle to provide up to 16 kilowatts of electrical power for those payloads.

The LEMV is intended to be used to conduct long-term Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, or ISR, and persistent stare-type missions, and can also be used as a communications relay.

The primary objective of the first flight was to perform a safe launch and recovery of the LEMV. A secondary goal was to verify the flight control system operation. Additional objectives included airworthiness testing and demonstration, as well as system-level performance verification.

All objectives were met during the first flight.

An artist’s rendering of the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle. A hybrid air vehicle, the LEMV flew for more than 90 minutes, Aug. 7, 2012, above Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

The football field-sized LEMV can operate at altitudes greater than 22,000 feet above mean sea level, has a 2,000 mile radius of action, can carry a 2,750 pound ISR payload for more than 21 days, and boasts a fuel consumption that is more than 10 times less than comparable capabilities.

Design requirements for the LEMV include providing up to 16 kilowatts of electrical power for payload, as well as runway independence.

The LEMV is designed to be a recoverable and reusable multi-mission platform. It can be forward located to support extended geostationary operations from austere locations and capable of beyond-line-of-sight command and control.

During this first flight, the LEMV was manned, though the air vehicle can also operate unmanned.

Following a planned and detailed inspection of the vehicle, there will be additional manned flights.

 

All images Credit:   U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

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