The Airlander 10, originally designed for civil use, is a hybrid aircraft capable of adaptation for military operations due to its reconfigurable cabin and extended endurance. It can carry multispectral sensor suites for ISR roles, deploy drone swarms, or transport personnel and equipment to remote environments.
The aircraft’s ability to remain airborne for up to five days without refuelling and to operate from almost any flat surface, including water, presents unique defence applications. Its potential roles include elevated sensing for missile defence, drone and counter-drone warfare, and wide-area maritime patrol.
“This capability is ever more valuable, and we have worked hard to showcase the aircraft’s capabilities,” said George Land, Executive Director – Sales at Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd. “We are pleased to be working with an undisclosed customer to provide three aircraft for further customisation. We expect other military reservations to follow and look forward to providing more detail in the future.”
This reservation builds on the $2 billion in civil market commitments already in place for Airlander 10. HAV says the aircraft offers a new response to evolving defence needs, with increased demand for endurance, payload capacity, and flexible deployment options.
