Airborne Law Enforcement, Environmental Patrol, and Disaster Relief are typical civil aid missions ideally suited to airships.

In the early 1970's the concept of the police patrol helicopter, a patrol car in the sky, was perfected. Today it is the single largest market for helicopters, saving only the military.

What the helicopter does for law enforcement, the airship can do better in many areas, with dash speed the helicopter's only advantage. Airships are whisper quiet, important to the citizens whose taxes pay for these airborne vehicles. Once aloft they can remain there for a full police shift, with no need to land for fuel every 1¹/2 to 3 hours. And the airship can carry a variety of sophisticated surveillance equipment, including data links to keep the commanders on the ground fully in the picture. More than that, the airship can easily be a flying command post, with complete C3I capability. (Clicking on the picture will download a 32 kB enlargement of an A-60+ gondola with surveillance system installed.)

Today, the world over, there is ever greater concern about controlling the pollutants that enter our waters and atmosphere, and where possible, detecting and prosecuting those that cause illegal pollution. The airship, with its capability to carry a wide variety of sensors is an ideal platform for the patrol of rivers, coastal areas and industrial and chemical facilities. Only the airship can literally drift with an air mass, taking samples completely undisturbed by its engines or engine exhausts. Modern FLIR systems can detect the depth of oil slicks, enabling the surface units to attack the heaviest spill areas with the proper equipment.

And recent pictures of the destruction from floods, hurricanes, fires and earthquakes remind us of how important it is to get immediate, factual data on the extent of damage, and to restore communications. The airship, carrying an electro-optical and FLIR system, together with radios capable of communications with all relevant agencies, can make a significant contribution to saving lives and property. Only the airship is capable of performing this mission uninterrupted for refueling. With bunks and a small galley, 24 hour missions are not only possible, they are quite practical.

Whether it is serving the Coast Guard in protecting the nation's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), carrying police observers, spotting potential weaknesses in flooded dikes or directing emergency vehicles following an earthquake, the low cost, long endurance airship must be considered by Federal and local government everywhere.

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