Augur-Rosaerosystems Holding Company is going to manufacture an Atlant airship by the end of 2018, which may be operated by Russian Ministry of Defense, Lenta.ru reports with reference to the company’s Vice-President Mikhail Talesnikov.

«Preliminary design stage of this project should have been completed in late June 2015. Two versions of Atlant airship are considered: first one is able to carry a payload of 16 tons, the second one – 60 tons,» he explained.

The first stage of research and development work should be completed in December 2015. A mockup of innovative trim system should be developed by this time. «In 2016 production of the first prototype will be started; the start of flight testing of a test airship having a payload of 16 tons and a volume of 30 thousand cubic meters is scheduled for late 2018,» the Vice-President added.

Talesnikov stated that no one would be able to have a jump on the Russian project in the mid-term. «While unloading the cargo in a destination point the airship may become heavier, using its own equipment instead of taking any ballast onboard, in order to prevent it moving to the stratosphere. This is a unique system, no other country has any analogues,» he added.