Heavy airlifter hybrid

Ever had to transport a small army half way round the world but never had the transport capacity to do it quickly enough?

Ever had to transport a giant hydro-electric generator from its place of manufacture somewhere in the middle of Europe to a new dam in the middle of the indian sub-continent?

Ever had to deliver thousands of tons of aid to a war torn, drought ridden country in the middle of a famine?

Ever needed to do it quickly and with a minimum of sorties, with full autonomous get-in get-out capability with minimal or no ground crew?

How about landing on water to rescue the crew and passengers of a 20000 ton cruise liner going down in the mid atlantic?

Have you thought about using an airship?

Have a look see at thihs:

http://www.airship.com/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1840936.stm

http://www.3gnewsroom.com/3g_news/jul_01/news_0853.shtml

Lots to read about it but considering Skycat 1000 has a payload of more than 100 Hercules transports, a range that could take it more than half way around the world at a speed of 180knots at a cost lower than 4 C17 Globemasters. I wonder if we are looking at a new era in heavy airlift technology.

Discuss…………