What applications do airships have today?
A. Airships have applications in both military and civilian roles. An airship’s ability to carry a large radar antenna within its envelope to a great height, together with its ability to stay on station for days at a time, makes it ideal for combat surveillance work. At sea an airship can provide over-the-horizon coverage up to 130 nautical miles against very small radar targets such as cruise missiles. In civil use airships operate against drug smugglers and other criminals. Cabin space and low vibration allow crews to remain alert over long periods. Airships can also be used in border patrols, fire-watching and bulky cargo transportation. They have uses in advertising and more recently as very stable scientific observation platforms.
