Long-Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV)

The Long-Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is an Army program to test an unmanned hybrid airship for persistent surveillance missions. A hybrid airship combines buoyant, aerodynamic and propulsive lift to make it easier to launch and recover than a true lighter-than-air aircraft. Onboard helium provides the same aerostatic lift used by blimps. Composite materials allow rigid, shaped hull designs that are more than simple balloons, providing aerodynamic lift. Finally,...