Nikolai Gogol once wrote that the two problems plaguing Russia are "fools and roads". For the Russian military, soon roads (or runways) might not be such an issue.

Russia's Atlant airship will be able to carry 200 military personnel or 60 tons of cargo — and doesn't need a runway. The 130-meter-long airship merges technology from planes, hovercraft and airships.

The Atlant would be perfect for transporting military cargo short distances across Russia

The company behind the futuristic blimp, Augur RosAeroSystems, says that the airship could be ready for service as soon as 2018.

Via The Daily Mail:

The Atlant will cost 30 per cent less than Russia's Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter, which can cost up to $25million. Two different models will be created: the Atlant-100, which will be 130 metres long and able to fly at 140kph, and the smaller 75-metre-long version, the Atlant-30, which will be able to carry a 16 tonne payload at speeds of about 170kph. There is speculation the Russian military aims to use the blimp at border points, such as to control drug trafficking. However it can also be used to move mass numbers of personnel around the country, or into combat zones, more efficiently. The manufacturers say there is also interest from within the oil and gas industry in Siberia and the Arctic, particularly with the current costs and difficulty of building infrastructure and moving equipment.

Not surprisingly, The Daily Mail described this gigantic flying machine as a "red zeppelin". Brilliant.