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American Blimp MZ-3

first flight unknown· airship

🎈 airship
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Handlers prepare to launch the U.S. Navy MZ-3A manned airship for an orientation flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on 131106-N-PO203-532: DoD photo by John F. Williams, U.S. Navy. (Released)· Public domain
  2. 2. US Navy 100708-N-9174G-003 A U.S. Navy MZ-3A manned airship derived from the commercial A-170 series blimp lands at Lake Front Airport, New Orleans, La., to provide logistical support for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Geraci· Public domain
  3. 3. Defense.gov News Photo 100708-N-9174G-005 - A U.S. Navy MZ-3A manned airship Advanced Airship Flying Laboratory derived from the commercial A-170 series blimp lands at Lake Front Airport: Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Geraci, U.S. Navy· Public domain
  4. 4. Handlers prepare to launch the U.S. Navy MZ-3A manned airship from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Nov. 6, 2013, for an orientation flight 131106-N-PO203-206: John F. Williams· Public domain
  5. 5. MZ-3A blimp at NAS Patuxent River in May 2014: U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams· Public domain
  6. 6. MZ-3A blimp MD1: Acroterion· CC BY-SA 4.0
  7. 7. MZ-3A blimp MD2: Acroterion· CC BY-SA 4.0
  8. 8. MZ-3A blimp MD3: Acroterion· CC BY-SA 4.0
  9. 9. MZ-3A is the Navy's only airship. (8595820928): Official U.S. Navy Page from United States of America· Public domain
  10. 10. MZ-3A is the Navy's only airship. (8595821154): MC2 Adam Henderson· Public domain
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
American Blimp MZ-3, photo 1 of 10
1/10 DoD photo by John F. Williams, U.S. Navy. (Released)· Public domain

what is it?

The American Blimp MZ-3A is a blimp owned by the United States Navy from 2006 to 2017. It is a modified American Blimp Corporation A-170 series commercial blimp and given the USN type/model/series (T/M/S) designation MZ-3A and Bureau Number (BuNo) 167811. After delivery to the Navy, the airship began operations as an advanced flying laboratory used to evaluate affordable sensor payloads, the development of new lighter-than-air (LTA) technologies and general flight support for other related research and development/science and technology (R&D/S&T) projects.

spec sheet

first flight
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number built
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role
airship
makers
American Blimp Corporation
engines
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top speed
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range
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Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q4743185, Wikipedia: American Blimp MZ-3 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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