LocomoSky, a Russian company, has announced that it is developing the “Locomoskaimer” airship with a payload capacity of 600 tons, which is twice the capacity of the world’s largest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, designed to carry the Buran spacecraft.
Experts believe that this heavy airship will be welcomed by the Russian Ministry of Industry.
This project is also one of the solutions in the economic development of areas with inconvenient transportation, aiming to reduce transportation and construction costs to regions rich in natural resources, particularly oil and gas.
The shape of the Locomoskaimer airship.
Notably, the new airship will resemble a space shuttle, often seen in science fiction films.
Sergey Morozov, the governor of Ulyanovsk, stated that LocomoSky’s airship will be manufactured in the Zavolzhye industrial zone.
The production cost of the Locomoskaimer airship is expected to reach 120 million USD, comparable to the price of the Ruslan An-124-100 aircraft, but with a cargo capacity four times that of the An-124-100.
Additionally, the Locomoskaimer does not require ground infrastructure and can deliver goods to any location.
Future Applications of the Locomoskaimer Airship:
– The Locomoskaimer can be used for aerial geophysical surveys, with a payload of 1,000 kg and operated by a crew of 2 to 8 people. Utilizing the Locomoskaimer for aerial geophysical surveys can yield results that are significantly more accurate while costing only half or a quarter of previous methods.
– The airship will come in various capacities of 40, 60, 120, 240, and 600 tons, capable of transporting large cargo to remote areas with inconvenient access. It can land without the support of additional equipment.
In addition to carrying large cargo, the Locomoskaimer can also be adapted for passenger transport, with a capacity of 270 to 11,000 people, including evacuating residents from disaster-stricken areas.
Airships with a payload of 0.5 to 1.5 tons can be used for surveillance and control, operated by a single pilot, patrolling roadways.
It can be equipped with scanning devices to monitor targets such as power lines, natural gas pipelines, oil and gas facilities, industrial zones, and other specific objectives…
