Potential Military Use of Airships and Aerostats
Abstract
Airships and aerostats have been used historically for military surveillance and antisubmarine warfare. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, aerostats and airships are "lighter-than-air (LTA)"; typically using helium to stay aloft. Airships are traditionally manned, and use engines to fly. Aerostats are tethered to the ground, by a cable that also provides power. As many as 32 companies are involved in the design or manufacture of more than 100 commercially available airships and aerostats in Europe, Asia, and North America. The Navy disbanded its last airship unit in1962, and since then, military use of lighter-than-air platforms has been limited to Air Force custodianship of a dozen aerostats. However, a number of developments have combined to draw increased attention toward LTA platforms. First, U.S. aerospace dominance in military conflicts since 1991 has been overwhelming, making threats to LTA platforms appear to be very low by historical standards. Second, the military's demand for "persistent surveillance," a function for which aerostats appear to be well suited, is growing. Network-centric warfare approaches, increased emphasis on homeland security, and growing force protection demands in urban environments all call for "dominant battlespace awareness."
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA520366
Entities
People
- Christopher Bolkcom
Organizations
- Library of Congress