World Affairs Board - View Single Post

turtleairships · 04-17-2008, 14:58 PM

airships which are little more than glorified balloons (blimps, zeppelins) are NOT viable candidates for military applications, except in surveillance and telecommunications roles.

Virtually all airships continue to use archaic designs and technologies. The so called "hybrid airships", such as the P-791, the dynalifter, and the aeroscraft are ill suited for potential use as they require runways and are little more than large, helium filled airplanes; still heavier than air and susceptible to the same surface wind forces that plague airplanes in landings and take offs.

However it is possible to construct airships that can change aviation, and be of revolutionary benefit to militaries.

The greatest change that must take place, is to change the material out of which airships are constructed; to abandon the "envelope" of fabrics or laminates, and to build airships out of the same strong materials that airplanes are made of. Doing so will result in airships that can travel at high speeds (to 250mph), can hover, land or take off verticaly, land in water as well as land, employ new forms of power such as solar or alternative fuels, and able to carry immense payloads.

Airships have huge potential as OFFENSIVE military platforms. They can be STEALTHY. And, despite historic perceptions, airship have proven ability to "survive" in a hostile environment.

A stealthy airship cannot be found (hit) with a radar guided missile. Because engines are buried deep within a hull measuring several hundreds of feet in size, there is no discernable infra-red signature for heat seaking missiles to find. Striking, or blowing up an engine is moot; the airship floats in the air. Engines can be shut down completely and the airship will still fly.

Airships are extremely able to survive "ground fire". If an airship were to sit idly still for a full minute, while being shot at with a common 20mm gatling gun, pumping 6,000 rounds per minute into it....it would still fly. It might sustain 6,000 holes....but each would allow only 250 cubic feet of helium to escape each minute....and if an airship has multiple helium cells totaling over 8 MILLION cubic feet...then simple math shows that it would lose about 1.5 Million cubic feet per minute, or about 45 tons in lift. If an airship can carry 500 tons.....and is operated while carrying half that in water ballast that can be dumped....then, it has five minutes of flying time. At only 120mph, that puts it 10 miles away.

Of course, no airship would simply sit and let opposing forces shoot into it for a full minute, even if they were able to do so. And, as has been suggested; an airship can carry substantial DEFENSIVE weapons on board.

If you wish to know more about airships, please contact me. You might want to see my blog as well.

04-17-2008, 14:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
turtleairships New Member Join Date: 04-17-08 Posts: 3	military airships airships which are little more than glorified balloons (blimps, zeppelins) are NOT viable candidates for military applications, except in surveillance and telecommunications roles. Virtually all airships continue to use archaic designs and technologies. The so called "hybrid airships", such as the P-791, the dynalifter, and the aeroscraft are ill suited for potential use as they require runways and are little more than large, helium filled airplanes; still heavier than air and susceptible to the same surface wind forces that plague airplanes in landings and take offs. However it is possible to construct airships that can change aviation, and be of revolutionary benefit to militaries. The greatest change that must take place, is to change the material out of which airships are constructed; to abandon the "envelope" of fabrics or laminates, and to build airships out of the same strong materials that airplanes are made of. Doing so will result in airships that can travel at high speeds (to 250mph), can hover, land or take off verticaly, land in water as well as land, employ new forms of power such as solar or alternative fuels, and able to carry immense payloads. Airships have huge potential as OFFENSIVE military platforms. They can be STEALTHY. And, despite historic perceptions, airship have proven ability to "survive" in a hostile environment. A stealthy airship cannot be found (hit) with a radar guided missile. Because engines are buried deep within a hull measuring several hundreds of feet in size, there is no discernable infra-red signature for heat seaking missiles to find. Striking, or blowing up an engine is moot; the airship floats in the air. Engines can be shut down completely and the airship will still fly. Airships are extremely able to survive "ground fire". If an airship were to sit idly still for a full minute, while being shot at with a common 20mm gatling gun, pumping 6,000 rounds per minute into it....it would still fly. It might sustain 6,000 holes....but each would allow only 250 cubic feet of helium to escape each minute....and if an airship has multiple helium cells totaling over 8 MILLION cubic feet...then simple math shows that it would lose about 1.5 Million cubic feet per minute, or about 45 tons in lift. If an airship can carry 500 tons.....and is operated while carrying half that in water ballast that can be dumped....then, it has five minutes of flying time. At only 120mph, that puts it 10 miles away. Of course, no airship would simply sit and let opposing forces shoot into it for a full minute, even if they were able to do so. And, as has been suggested; an airship can carry substantial DEFENSIVE weapons on board. If you wish to know more about airships, please contact me. You might want to see my blog as well.