SafekipediaMilitary transport aircraft
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
A military transport aircraft, also called a military cargo aircraft or airlifter, is a military-owned transport aircraft used to help with military operations. These special planes carry soldiers and important equipment through the air, a process known as airlifting. They are very important because they help keep supply lines open, even when places are hard to reach by ground or waterborne travel.
These aircraft can be used for big missions far away or smaller missions closer to where they are needed. Because they are so useful, they are sometimes used to help people during emergencies. In these cases, they carry things like food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid to places that need it most.
Air frames
Fixed-wing
Military transport airplanes carry soldiers and equipment through the air. They are sorted by how far they can travel, called strategic or tactical airlift, to help ground forces where they are needed. These distances are like short, medium, and long flights in commercial air travel.
The military glider is a special airplane with no engine. It has been used in some battles to carry troops or supplies to places near the front lines.
Rotary-wing
Military transport helicopters are used when regular airplanes can't land. They are important for groups like the US Marines who start from ships. Helicopters can land almost anywhere, and if they can't land, they can let soldiers down by rope from places like thick jungles.
Transport helicopters come in different sizes. Small ones, called air assault helicopters, move small groups of soldiers and their gear. These helicopters can have weapons to protect themselves and the area where they land. Bigger helicopters can carry more soldiers, like a whole group, or move small vehicles and artillery. The largest helicopters can carry up to 80 soldiers or even small armored vehicles. Even though they are slower and use more fuel, they don’t need a runway to land.
Payload comparison
The Sikorsky CH-53K is a large military airplane. The Ilyushin Il-76, made in the 1970s, can carry supplies for big missions far away and smaller missions nearby. Here is a size comparison of several military airplanes, from the C-160 to the C-17.
| Country | Aircraft | Payload t | Max takeoff weight kg (lb) | Cargo hold Length m (ft) | Cargo hold Width m (ft) | Cargo hold Height m (ft) | Ferry Range (no payload) km (nmi) | Range with max payload km (nmi) | Range with specified payload km (nmi) | Range with specified payload km (nmi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union (Ukraine) | Antonov An-225 | 247 | 640,000 (1,410,000) | 43.35 (142.2) | 6.4 (21) | 4.4 (14) | 15,400 (8,300) | 4,000 (2,200) (w/200,000 kg payload) | ||
| Soviet Union (Ukraine) | Antonov An-124 | 150 | 402,000 (886,000) | 36 (118) | 6.4 (21) | 4.4 (14) | 14,000 (7,600) | 3,700 (2,000) | 8,400 (4,500) (w/80,000 kg payload) | 11,500 (6,200) (w/40,000 kg payload) |
| United States | Lockheed C-5 Galaxy | 129.274 | 381,018 (840,001) | 37 (121) | 5.8 (19) | 4.1 (13) | 13,000 (7,000) | 4,260 (2,300) | 8,900 (4,800) (w/54,431 kg payload) | |
| Soviet Union (Ukraine) | Antonov An-22 | 80 | 250,000 (550,000) | 32.7 (107) | 4.44 (14.6) | 4.44 (14.6) | 5,000 (2,700) | 10,950 (5,910) (w/45,000 kg payload) | ||
| United States | Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | 77.5 | 265,352 (585,001) | 26.83 (88.0) | 5.49 (18.0) | 3.76 (12.3) | 11,540 (6,230) | 4,482 (2,420) (w/71,000 kg payload) | ||
| China | Xi'an Y-20 | 66 | 220,000 (490,000) | 20 (66) | 4 (13) | 4 (13) | 7,800 (4,200) (w/55,000 kg payload) | |||
| Soviet Union (Uzbekistan) | Ilyushin Il-76 | 60 | 190,000 (420,000) | 24.54 (80.5) | 3.45 (11.3) | 3.4 (11) | 9,300 (5,000) | 4,400 (2,400) (w/52,000 kg payload) | ||
| Europe | Airbus A330 MRTT | 45 | 233,000 (514,000) | 45 (148) | 5.28 (17.3) | 2.54 (8.3) | 14,816 (8,000) | |||
| Europe | Airbus A400M Atlas | 37 | 141,000 (311,000) | 17.71 (58.1) | 4 (13) | 3.85 (12.6) rear section：4 (13) | 8,900 (4,800) | 3,300 (1,800) | 4,500 (2,400) (w/30,000 kg payload) | 6,400 (3,500) (w/20,000 kg payload) |
| Japan | Kawasaki C-2 | 36 | 141,000 (311,000) | 16 (52) | 4 (13) | 4 (13) | 9,800 (5,300) | 4,500 (2,400) | 5,700 (3,100) (w/30,000 kg payload) | 7,600 (4,100) (w/20,000 kg payload) |
| Brazil | Embraer C-390 | 26 | 86,999 (191,800) | 18.5 (61) | 3.00 (9.84) | 3.04 (10.0) | 6,240 (3,370) | 2,000 (1,100) | 2,720 (1,470) (w/23,000 kg payload) | 5,020 (2,710) (w/14,000 kg payload) |
| China | Shaanxi Y-9 | 23 | 65,000 (143,000) | 16.2 (53) | 3.2 (10) | 2.35 (7.7) | 5,800 (3,100) | |||
| Soviet Union | Mil Mi-26 | 20 | 56,000 (123,000) | 12 (39) | 3.3 (11) | 2.9 (9.5) | 800 (430) | |||
| United States | Lockheed Martin C-130J | 19.8 | 70,370 (155,140) | 12.5 (41) | 3.05 (10.0) | 2.75 (9.0) | 3,334 (1,800) | 3,300 (1,800) (w/15,422 kg payload) | ||
| Ukraine | Antonov An-178 | 16 (18 max) | 51,000 (112,000) | 13.21 (43.3) | 2.73 (9.0) | 2.73 (9.0) | 5,500 (3,000) | |||
| United States | Sikorsky CH-53K | 15.876 | 39,916 (88,000) | 9.14 (30.0) | 2.46 (8.1) | 2 (6.6) | 1,851 (999) | 850 (460) | 203 (110) (radius w/1,2247 kg) | |
| Italy | Alenia C-27J Spartan | 11.6 max | 32,500 (71,700) | 11.43 (37.5) | 3.33 (10.9) | 2.59 (8.5) | 5,926 (3,200) | 1,759 (950) | 5,056 (2,730) (w/4,536 kg payload) | |
| United States | Boeing CH-47 Chinook | 10.886 | 24,494 (54,000) | 9.14 (30.0) | 2.53 (8.3) | 1.98 (6.5) | 2,252 (1,216) | 740 (400) | 306 (165) (combat radius) | |
| United States | Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey | 10 | 27,442 (60,499) | 7.41 (24.3) | 1.8 (5.9) | 1.83 (6.0) | 4,130 (2,230) | 1,628 (879) (w/3,485 kg payload) | ||
| Spain | Airbus C295 | 7 (9.25 max) | 23,200 (51,100) | 12.69 (41.6) | 2.7 (8.9) | 1.9 (6.2) | 5,000 (2,700) | 1,555 (840) | 4,587 (2,477) (w/2,940 kg payload) | |
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