Military Heavy Lift

Examples of uses:

• Strategic and tactical military lift
• Task group logistic and assault operations
• Re-supply of hardware, consumables, fuel/oil, personnel etc. palletized or loose equipment
• Delivery of balanced fighting units and ammunition transportation
• "Crane" type operations – the AIRLANDER 200 will be able to lift up to 80 tonnes vertically
• Humanitarian aid – Reconnaissance, as well as delivery of emergency equipment, personnel, medical & emergency supplies.
• For the military, the AIRLANDER has a number of unique competencies: the ability to land on any reasonably flat surface (including unprepared ground) and its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. This enables commanders to avoid choke points and bypass areas of risk, increasing lifting capacity and range, reducing the need for land convoys with extensive escorts. For example, AIRLANDER would excel at the extraction of equipment and personnel from Afghanistan, and in support of armed forces and other agencies remaining thereafter.
• With proven low vulnerability and ability to land on water, AIRLANDER 50 can be maintained from on-board for an extensive period – up to several months. It is crewed and operated like a ship; crew are permanently embarked, and it is designed to accompany task forces as a unit in its own right. AIRLANDER 50 can take fuel from ships using helicopter in-flight refuelling (HIFR) facilities, load stores, food and change individual crew members if required.
• Its use with a maritime task force is something between a number of freight moving helicopters, RFA ships freight and people movement between forward mounting bases and the task group, then delivery around the task group, and even surveillance if required. With a capability to lift 20 tons vertically, AIRLANDER - 50 can be used to transfer exceptional loads between ships at sea. In assault operations, AIRLANDER can be used in support, releasing other assets, such as helicopters, to be deployed elsewhere.
• For humanitarian operations, AIRLANDER is an extremely flexible capability: deploying fast, carrying out initial reconnaissance, bringing rapid, visible and morale-boosting support to those in need. All this can be achieved without any infrastructure, typically a major constraint following disasters. AIRLANDER can provide an initial command platform and can relay communications. It can deliver equipment, military and civilian personnel, food and water to the point of need. Since the payload module is larger than most other aircraft in operation, it can also be converted into an effective field hospital. Following the Haiti earthquake, US Commanders analysed this application in detail and expressed their interest in using AIRLANDER in future.

Click here for Civil Heavy Lift