Northrop Grumman wins contract to build US Army's long-endurance hybrid airship

Northrop Grumman's announced that it's won a contract from the United States Army to build its LEMV surveillance ship. The Army is building the ship specifically to assist troops in Afghanistan, and they are expected to go into use sometime in 2011. Northrop Grumman has been commissioned to build three of the ships, which can carry up to 2,500 pounds and hover 20,000 feet above sea-level with a top speed of about 34 miles per hour. The Army will pay NG 517 million dollars for the project.