Bombers equipped with precision-guided conventional munitions are the obvious answer, so long as they have sufficient range, payload and survivability features.

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The military application though is beyond question: Twice as fast, three times the payload, five times the range of any comparable helicopter.

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Its exceptionally long range, large payload and resilience to detection and attack by even advanced air defenses (like those fielded by Iraq) offer policy-makers the means to bring weapons to bear on distant targets with a minimum of delay or risk of loss of American lives.

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They envisioned employing a fleet of drones with a two kilogram payload capacity and a six mile flight-range.

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These large helium-filled balloons, which range up to 400 feet in diameter and can carry 8000 pounds of payload, have attached gondolas designed to house instrumentation, controls, avionics and telescopes.

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These modifications will enable the vehicle to better optimize its payload capacity for heavier, more lucrative satellite customers - and also to offer a broader range of orbits to those clients.

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