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The United States Army
08/08/2012 | News release
Army successfully flight tests lighter-than-air vehicle at Lakehurst
distributed by noodls on 08/08/2012 17:57
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 8, 2012) -- For more
than 90 minutes, Aug. 7, the hybrid air vehicle known as
the "Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle,"
or LEMV, stayed afloat above Joint Base
McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
The 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 can carry just about
any kind of sensor or 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 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.
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.
