The aeroscraft gunship has all-weather capabilities, vertical takeoff and landing and extended range along with the ability to loiter in-theater for long periods. 70% of the AZR-1's aerodynamic lift comes from helium, the remaining 30% is derived from its innovative “wing” shape. The "ZR" designation is an old army designation for rigid (R) airships (Z) that had not been used since a series of ill-fated experiments with aerial carriers in the late-1920s.