Lockheed Martin's hybrid airship, expected to be FAA-certified in 2018, will be used to carry cargo for energy company operations around the world under a $480 million deal with British company Straightline Aviation Ltd. According to a Wall Street Journal report this week, Straightline plans to buy 12 of the 20-ton airships and market them as an economical way to take equipment and other cargo in and out of remote areas such as Alaskan oilfields. Due to dropping oil and gas prices, "there has been a great deal of interest," a Straightline executive told the Journal.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/lockheed-martins-airship-nets-480-million-order