After years of development and a string of delays, Northrop Grumman hauled the Army's Long-Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) from its hangar and let it sail into the New Jersey sky yesterday.
As technology and desire finally collide in the military's hunt for a next-generation blimp, the 90-minute test flight was a milestone the Army is eager to expand upon in its drive to get the LEMV downrange.
By early next year, the blimp is supposed to be lingering over the Afghan countryside for weeks at a time. The Army expects the LEMV to be communicating among multiple battlefield elements, with or without a crew of 12 to 24, and be capable of hauling seven tons of cargo 2,400 miles at speeds up to 30 mph.
While definitely an impressive technological feat, not everyone is a fan of the LEMV. Mark Jones at Market Info Group sees the limitations of the LEMV far outweighing the blimp's abilities.
Jones points out the LEMV is a low altitude craft that can't float above 25,000 feet, is vulnerable to weather and limited by the height of the Hindu Kush mountains. The Afghan mountain range has two dozen peaks higher than 20,000 feet.
Jones also points out much of the country is thousands-of-feet above sea level already, bringing the LEMV's soaring altitude even closer to the ground where it will be vulnerable to attack.
Those considerations will face the LEMV in the future, but for now Grumman and the Army are no doubt enjoying their success.
The blimp's first manned flight yesterday at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., was a success and Northrop Grumman spokesperson John Cummings says "all objectives were met".
Below are additional pictures of the LEMV from Northrop Grumman:
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