Hybrid airship reserved for first military applications
NewsOctober 24, 2025
BEDFORD, United Kingdom. Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) announced that three Airlander 10 aircraft have been reserved for defense use, marking the first military reservations for the platform, the company announced in a statement.
According to the company, the aircraft were reserved by an undisclosed defense contractor seeking to adapt Airlander’s hybrid design for a range of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), logistics, and drone support operations. The reservation is part of HAV’s reported $3.7 billion military pipeline.
Airlander 10, initially designed for civil certification, can be modified for military roles due to its reconfigurable payload space and long endurance, the statement reads. HAV reports the aircraft can remain airborne for up to five days without refueling and operate from unprepared or water surfaces, enabling operations in austere environments.
The company states that Airlander’s endurance and payload capacity make it suitable for missions such as elevated sensing, maritime patrol, and counter-drone operations, supporting defense customers seeking persistent, cost-efficient airborne capabilities.
