Flight International online news 14:30GMT: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded funding to two contractors for the first phase of the Walrus programme.

Walrus - BIG
                                                                                                   Source: Flight International

The two contractors are Lockheed Martin, which received a phase 1 award of $2,989,779 and Aeros Aeronautical Systems, which won a $3,267,000 contract.

The Walrus programme aims to develop and evaluate a massive airship vehicle capable of carrying 500 tons, 12,000 miles in seven days.

A key goal of the Walrus program is to establish clear and credible solutions that provide confidence that earlier airship-era limitations will be overcome.

In particular, an early focus of the programme will be the investigation of advanced breakthrough technologies that will support the development of innovative lift and buoyancy concepts that do not rely on off-board ballast.

ROSS BENTLEY/LONDON


 

 

 

 

Source: Flight International