An innovative airship Atlant, that can be used for exploration of Arctic, will be produced in Russia in three years, newspaper VZGLYAD reports citing Gennady Verba, the chairman of the board of directors of Avgur-Rosaerosystems group of companies.

According to Mr. Verba, Avgur-Rosaerosystems is currently making a design of the future airshift Atlant-30 – “transport vehicle with use of multiple “know-hows”.

“Cargo capacity of the designed airship is to total 16 tons. Its construction is scheduled to take about three years,” Mr. Verba said.

Among the airship’s distinctive characteristics Mr Verba named, specifically, a very low pressure of the air vehicle on the ground, ice or water. This characteristic allows to use Atlant-30 in the Arctic exploration programs, Mr. Verba noted.

Speaking of the R&D, Mr. Verba said that “initially, in the nearest future the Atlant-6 airship is to be built as a demonstrator of new technologies.”

“The R&D works are divided into several stages. The current stage of Atlant-30 construction is financed by a national investor,” the source said. He added that the Atlant-30 project is based on 20-year experience of airships production development and operation.

The firm explained that Atlant-30 is equipped with a unique system of active ballasting system that allows to vary its free lift during flight and parked condition, as well as thrust vector management system that helps to achieve maximum high maneuvering ability, also at low speeds. Hard core body allows to significantly expand the areas of use of the vehicle.

Atlant-30 can fly up and land vertically, as well as to stay on an even ground without special preparation or at the water surface.

The airship’s volume is 30 cubic meters, length – 75 meters, width – 41 meter. When loaded by 12-16 tons, the airship can fly 1,500 kilometers.