Britain may be about to build a fleet of the world’s biggest Airships.

The airship industry died in 1937 when the Hindenburg blew up, but now, 74 years later, the airship industry appears to be revitalised.

Hybrid Air Vehicles, based in Bedfordshire, have received a £315 million contract from the American Department of Defence to develop this old technology, but with modern thinking, and safety.

Final testing should be completed by early 2012, when the first of these new airships will be flown to the USA.

Hybrid Air Vehicle test flight video

Click here to view the video

More details on the different HAV models:

• HAV214
• HAV304
• HAV 266
• HAV 366
• HAV 606