Military transport aircraft

Size comparison :

• Transall C-160
• C-130J
• C-130J-30
• A400M
• C-17

Military transport aircraft or military cargo aircraft are typically fixed wing and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to airlift troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside the commercial flight routes in uncontrolled airspace. Originally derived from bombers, military transport aircraft were used for delivering airborne forces during World War II and towing military gliders. Some military transport aircraft are tasked to perform multi-role duties such as aerial refueling and, rescue missions, tactical, operational and strategic airlifts onto unprepared runways, or those constructed by engineers.

Fixed-wing

Fixed-wing transport aircraft are defined in terms of their range capability as strategic airlift or tactical airlift to reflect the needs of the land forces which they most often support. These roughly correspond to the commercial flight length distinctions: Eurocontrol defines short-haul routes as shorter than 1,500 km (810 nmi), long-haul routes as longer than 4,000 km (2,200 nmi) and medium-haul between.^[1]

A more specialised role of a cargo aircraft is that of transporting fuel in support of other aircraft with more limited flight endurance such as fighters or helicopters. Smaller cargo aircraft, known as "utility", are often used to transport military communications equipment as temporary or permanent platforms, and in the command role by providing airborne command post or as an air ambulance.

Transports and tankers

Type	Country	Role	Introduction Date	Number Built	Payload (t)	Maximum Take-Off Weight (t)	Cruise Speed (km/h)	Service Ceiling (m)	Range (km)	Image
Aeritalia G.222	Italy	Tactical	1978	111	9	28	439	7,620	1,371
Airbus A310 MRTT	European Union	Strategic / Tank	2003		36	164	850	12,530	6,500
Airbus A330 MRTT	European Union	Strategic / Tank	2007		45	223	860	13,000	14,800
Airbus A400M	European Union	Strategic / Tactical	2009	67	37	141	780	12,200	9,300
Alenia C-27J Spartan	Italy	Tactical	2008	101	11.5	31.8	583	9,144	5,926
Antonov An-8 Camp	Ukraine	Tactical	1958	151	11	88	480	9,600	2,780
Antonov An-12 Cub	Ukraine	Tactical	1959	1248	20	61	670	10,200	5,700
Antonov An-14 Clod	Ukraine	Tactical / Utility	1966	332	7	3.6	180	5,000	650
Antonov An-22 Antei	Ukraine	Strategic / Tactical	1965	68	80	250	740	10,200	5,000
Antonov An-26 Curl	Ukraine	Tactical	1969	1403	5.5	24	440	7,500	2,550
Antonov An-28 Cash	Ukraine	Tactical / Utility	1986	191	2.5	8	270	7,620	1,500
Antonov An-32 Cline	Ukraine	Tactical	1976	361	6.7	26.9	480	9,500	2,500
Antonov An-72 Coaler	Ukraine	Tactical	1977	195	7.5	33	600	10,100	4,800
Antonov An-124 Ruslan	Ukraine	Strategic	1982	55	150	405	800-850	12,000	5,410
Antonov An-70	Ukraine	Strategic / Tactical	1994	2	47	145	729	12,000	6,600
Antonov An-178	Ukraine	Tactical	2015	1	18	42	800	13,000	5,500
Antonov/Taqnia An-132	Ukraine/Saudi Arabia	Tactical	2016		9.2	28.5	550	9,000	4,400
Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy	United Kingdom	Strategic / Tactical	1960	72	13	48	407	7,010	5,552
Avro York	United Kingdom	Strategic / Tactical	1944	259	9.1	29.4	322	7,010	4,800
Avro Vulcan K.2	United Kingdom	Tank	1984	136		93	1053.5	14,000-17,000
Beechcraft C-12 Huron	United States	Tactical / Utility	1974		2	5	375	10,668	3,185
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey	United States	Tactical	1989	200+	6.8	27.4	396	7,620	1,627
Boeing 247/C-73	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1942			6.2	304	7,620	1,200
Boeing C-108 Flying Fortress	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1943 (prototype only)		5	30	293	10,850	3,219
Boeing KB-29 Superfortress	United States	Tank	1948		5.4	62	507	12,000	3,710
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter	United States	Strategic / Tank	1951	888	9.1	79	482	10,670	6,920
Boeing KB-50 Superfortress	United States	Tank	1956		5.4	62	507	12,000	3,710
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker	United States	Strategic / Tank	1956	803	37.6	146	853	15,200	17,766
Boeing YC-14	United States	Tactical	1976 (prototype only)		31.4	133	723	13,716	5,136
Boeing VC-25	United States	VIP transport	1990			375	925	13,700	13,000
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1991	279	77.5	265	830	13,716	10,390
Boeing C-32	United States	VIP transport	1998			116	851	13,000	7,250
Boeing C-40 Clipper	United States	Strategic	2001		18	78	838	12,500	5,600
Boeing KC-767	United States	Strategic / Tank	2005		29.5	182	851	12,200	11,830
Boeing KC-46 Pegasus	United States	Strategic / Tank	2013		29.5	182	851	12,200	11,830
British Aerospace 125	United Kingdom	VIP transport	1965			11	747	12,500	2,891
British Aerospace 146	United Kingdom	VIP transport	1986			97.5	747	11,000	3,870
Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander	United Kingdom	Tactical / Utility	1965		2	3	257	4,024	1,400
Canadair North Star	Canada	Strategic / Tactical	1946		5	33	523	10,970	6,212
Canadair CL-44/CC-106 Yukon	Canada	Strategic / Tactical	1960			95	670	9,100	8,990
Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan	Canada	Tactical	1960		6.4	24	518	7,620	3,660
CASA C-212 Aviocar	Spain	Tactical / Utility	1971		2.8	8	315	7,925	1,433
CASA CN-235	Spain	Tactical	1983		5	15.1	509	7,620	5,003
Cessna Citation V/UC-35	United States	VIP transport	1987			7.3	796	13,715	3,650
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1942		4.5	25	346	8,500	5,311
Consolidated R2Y	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1944 (prototype only)		5.5	29	380	8,500	6,400
Convair XC-99	United States	Strategic	1949 (prototype only)		45	145.5	370	9,150	13,041
Convair C-131 Samaritan	United States	Tactical	1950			21	409	7,470	750
Curtiss C-46 Commando	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1941		6.8	20	278	7,468	5,069
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou	Canada	Tactical	1958		3.6	14.2	348	7,559	2,103
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo	Canada	Tactical	1965		8.2	22.3		9,450	1,112
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	Tactical / Utility	1966			5.5	278	7,620	1,434
Douglas DC-2/C-32	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1937			8	278	6,930	1,750
Douglas C-47 Skytrain	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1941		3	10.5	360	8,045	2,600
Douglas C-54 Skymaster	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1942			33	310	6,800	6,400
Douglas C-74 Globemaster	United States	Strategic	1945		22	78		6,490	5,470
Douglas C-47 Skytrain/C-117 Skytrain	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1951		3	10.5	360	8,045	2,600
Douglas C-118 Liftmaster	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1947		12.7	48.5	507	5,460	6,700
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II	United States	Strategic	1950	448		88.2	370	6,645	10,975
Douglas C-133 Cargomaster	United States	Strategic	1956	50	53.5	130	519	9,800	6,590
EADS CASA C-295	Spain	Tactical	1998		9.3	23.2	481	9,100	5,400
Embraer KC-390	Brazil	Tactical	2014		23	72	900	10,973	6,200
Fairchild C-82 Packet	United States	Tactical	1944		12.5	24.5	351	6,460	6,239
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar	United States	Tactical	1949		12.5	33.5	322	7,300	2,849
Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1937			23	335	6,000	3,560
Fokker F27 Friendship	Netherlands	Tactical	1958			20	460	7,620	2,055
Fokker 50	Netherlands	Tactical	1985			23	530	7,620	1,666
Grumman C-1 Trader	United States	Carrier Onboard Delivery	1952		1.6	13.2	462	6,700	2,092
Grumman C-2 Greyhound	United States	Carrier Onboard Delivery	1964		4.5	24.7	465	10,210	2,400
Gulfstream III/C-20	United States	VIP transport	1980			31.5	818	13,716	6,760
Handley Page Hastings	United Kingdom	Strategic / Tactical	1948		9	36.2	468	8,100	2,720
Handley Page Victor K.2	United Kingdom	Tank	1965			93		17,000	9,660
Harbin Y-12	China	Tactical / Utility	1983			5.5	250	7,000	1,340
Ilyushin Il-12 Coach	Russia	Tactical	1946			17		6,500	1,500
Ilyushin Il-14 Crate	Russia	Tactical	1954			18		7,400	1,300
Ilyushin Il-76 Candid	Russia	Strategic / Tactical	1971	960	47	170	900	13,000	4,400
Ilyushin Il-78 Midas	Russia	Tank	1971	53	47	170	900	13,000	4,400
Ilyushin Il-76-MD-90A	Russia	Strategic / Tactical	2013		60	210	850	13,000	4,000
Ilyushin Il-78M-90A	Russia	Tank	2017		47	170	900	13,000	4,400
Ilyushin Il-112	Russia	Tactical	2011		5.9	20	550	7,600	5,000
Ilyushin Il-276	Russia	Tactical	2025 (planned)		20	15.8	800	13,000	2,000
Junkers Ju 52	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1930		2	11	211	5,490	800
Junkers Ju 89	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1938 (prototype only)		1.5	29		7,000	2,980
Junkers Ju 90	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1937			33	320	5,750	1,247
Junkers Ju 290	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1942		3	50		6,000	6,150
Junkers Ju 390	Germany	Strategic	1943 (prototype only)			75.5		6,000	9,700
Kawasaki Ki-56	Japan	Strategic / Tactical	1940			8		8,000	3,300
Kawasaki C-1	Japan	Tactical	1970		11.9	45	657	11,580	1,300
Kawasaki C-2	Japan	Tactical	2010		37.6	120	890	12,200	6,500
Learjet C-21	United States	VIP transport	1973			8	774	13,700	5,295
Lisunov Li-2	Soviet Union	Strategic / Tactical	1939		3	10.5	360	8,045	2,600
Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1940			10	322	7,740	4,025
Lockheed C-69 Constellation	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1943			33	504	7,629	3,900
Lockheed C-121 Constellation	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1948			48.5	512	7,450	4,445
Lockheed R6V Constitution	United States	Strategic	1946 (prototype only)			83.4	418	8,700	8,670
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	Tactical / Tank	1954	2500+	20.4	70.3	540	10,060	3,800
Lockheed JetStar/C-140	United States	VIP transport	1961			20	811	13,105	4,820
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter	United States	Strategic / Tactical	1963	285	28.4	147	912	12,500	9,880
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy	United States	Strategic	1968	131	122	381	907	10,600	4,445
Lockheed TriStar (RAF)	United States	Strategic / Tank	1984			136	894	13,000	7,785
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules	United States	Tactical / Tank	1996	40	19-20	70.3-74.3	643	8,615	3,334
McDonnell Douglas C-9	United States	Strategic	1968			50	811	11,000	4,700
McDonnell Douglas YC-15	United States	Tactical	1975 (prototype only)		35	98	872	9,144	4,810
McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender	United States	Strategic / Tank	1980		77	268	908	12,800	18,507
Messerschmitt Me 323	Germany	Strategic / Tactical	1943		10	43	218	4,000	800
Mitsubishi Ki-57	Japan	Strategic / Tactical	1942			9		8,000	3,000
Nakajima Ki-34	Japan	Strategic / Tactical	1937			5	310	7,000	1,200
PZL M-28 Skytruck	Poland	Tactical / Utility	1993		2.5	8	270	7,620	1,500
Nord Noratlas	France	Tactical	1953		12.5	21	320	7,100	2,500
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81	Italy	Strategic / Tactical	1935		2	10.5	550	7,000	1,500
Shaanxi Y-8	China	Tactical	1974		20	61	550	10,200	5,616
Shaanxi Y-9	China	Tactical	2008		25	77	650	10,200	7,800
Short Belfast	United Kingdom	Strategic	1964		55	104	541	9,144	8,528
Short Skyvan	United Kingdom	Tactical / Utility	1963		5	5.6	317	6,858	1117
Short C-23 Sherpa	United Kingdom	Tactical / Utility	1982		3.2	3.2	296	5,114	1,239
Showa/Nakajima L2D	Japan	Strategic / Tactical	1939		3	10.5	360	8,045	2,600
Transall C-160	France/Germany	Tactical	1963	214	16	49.2	513	10,060	8,230
Vickers Valetta	United Kingdom	Strategic / Tactical	1948		3	16.5	277	6,550	2,350
Vickers Valiant B(K).1/B(PR)K.1	United Kingdom	Tank	1958			64		16,500	7,245
Vickers VC10	United Kingdom	Strategic / Tank	1965			151		13,105	9,412
Xian HY-6	China	Tank	1995	180	9	79	768	12,800	6,000
Xian Y-20	China	Strategic / Tactical	2013	10	66	220	900	13,000	7,800

• 

  The C-5 Galaxy.

• 

  The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle "Mystic" being loaded into an An-124, California.

• 

  Il-76 of the Russian Air Force .

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  Xian Y-20 at the 2016 Zhuhai Air Show.

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  A USAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military cargo aircraft.

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  A400M of the German Air Force .

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  C-17 and C-130 Ready to Depart.

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  Shaanxi Y-9 landing at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport ahead of Airshow China 2016.

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  C-160 Transall of the German Air Force .

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  Antonov An-12 of the Russian Air Force .

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  Venezuelan Air Force Shaanxi Y-8 on finals at Natal.

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  CC-150 Polaris tanker refueling two CF-18 Hornets.

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  RAF Voyager KC2 refuels two Tornado GR4 over Iraq.

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  KC-135R refuels F-16s.

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  Boeing KC-767A with Italian Air Force EF2000 and RAF Typhoon FGR4.

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  KC-46 refuels A-10 during Milestone C test.

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  Il-78 and Tu-95 over Moscow on Victory Day Parade.

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  RAF TriStar refuelling US Navy F/A-18s.

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  A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet.

Rotary wing

Military transport helicopters are used in places where the use of conventional aircraft is impossible. For example, the military transport helicopter is the primary transport asset of US Marines deploying from LHDs and LHA. The landing possibilities of helicopters are almost unlimited, and where landing is impossible, for example densely packed jungle, the ability of the helicopter to hover allows troops to deploy by abseiling and roping.

Transport helicopters are operated in assault, medium and heavy classes. Air assault helicopters are usually the smallest of the transport types, and designed to move an infantry squad or section and their equipment. Helicopters in the assault role are generally armed for self-protection both in transit and for suppression of the landing zone. This armament may be in the form of door gunners, or the modification of the helicopter with stub wings and pylons to carry missiles and rocket pods. For example, the Sikorsky S-70, fitted with the ESSM (External Stores Support System), and the Hip E variant of the Mil Mi-8 can carry as much disposable armament as some dedicated attack helicopters. The assault helicopter can be thought of as the modern successor to the military glider. Finally, there is the generic term utility helicopter, which generally refers to medium-lift designs.

Not all militaries are able to operate a full range of transport helicopters, so the medium transport type is probably the most useful compromise and probably the most common specialist transport type. Medium transport helicopters are generally capable of moving up to a platoon of infantry and are capable of being able to transport towed artillery or light vehicles either internally or as underslung roles. Unlike the assault helicopter they are usually not expected to land directly in a contested landing zone, but are used to reinforce and resupply landing zones taken by the initial assault wave. Examples include the unarmed versions of the Mil Mi-8, Super Puma, and CH-46 Sea Knight.

Heavy lift helicopters are the largest and most capable of the transport types, currently limited in service to the CH-53 Sea Stallion and related CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-47 Chinook, Mil Mi-26, and Aérospatiale Super Frelon. Capable of lifting up to 80 troops and moving small Armoured fighting vehicles (usually as slung loads but also internally), these helicopters operate in the tactical transport role in much the same way as small fixed wing turboprop air-lifters. The lower speed, range and increased fuel consumption of helicopters are more than compensated by their ability to operate virtually anywhere.

Transport and utility helicopters

Type	Country	Introduction Date	Payload (t)	Maximum Take-Off Weight (t)	Cruise Speed (km/h)	Service Ceiling (m)	Range (km)	Image
Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon	France	1966	5	13	266	3,150	1,020
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma	France	1968		7	248	4,800	580
AgustaWestland AW109	Italy	1976		3	285		920
AgustaWestland AW101/EH-101	Italy	1999	8.5	15	278	4,575	833
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	2003		7	306	6,096	1,250
AgustaWestland AW149	Italy	2003		9	278	6,096	800
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat	Italy	2014	1.5	6			777
AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant	Italy	2000	8.5	15	278	4,575	833
Atlas Oryx	South Africa	1987		8	248	7,162	303
Bell UH-1 Iroquois	United States	1959	1.7	4.3	201	5,910	507
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey	United States	1970		4.7	207	5,273	460
Bell UH-1Y Venom	United States	2008	3	8.3	250	6,100
Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight	United States	1964	2.2	11		5,180	1,020
Boeing Vertol CH-47 Chinook	United States	1962	11	23	296	6,100	370
Changhe Z-8	China	1994	5	13	266	3,150	1,020
Changhe Z-18	China	2014	5	13	266	6,000	1,020
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin	France	1978	1.5	4.3	260	4,500	572
Eurocopter AS532 Cougar	France	1978	1.5	9	239	3,450	572
Eurocopter AS565 Panther	France	1986	2	4.3	260	5,865	572
Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma/Airbus Helicopters H225	France	2004	5.5	11	261	5,900	857
Eurocopter EC725/Airbus Helicopters H225M	France	2005	5.5	11	261	5,900	857
Harbin Z-9	China	1994	1.5	4.3	260	4,500	572
IAR 330	Romania	1975		7.5	271	6,000	572
Mil Mi-8	Russia	1967	4	13	230	4,500	610
Mil Mi-17	Russia	1977	4	13	230	6,100	610
Mil Mi-26	Russia	1977	20	61.7	255	4,600	800
NHIndustries NH90	European Union	2007	2.5	11		6,000	800
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk	United States	1979	4	10	280	5,790	590
Westland Lynx	Italy	1978	1.5	5.5			528

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  Kazakh Mi-17 helicopter; some members of the Mil Mi-8 family can carry both weapons and troops

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  CH-53 with possible internal load

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  CH-54B carrying an M551 Sheridan tank

See also

• Cargo aircraft
• Loadmaster
• Airlift
• Troop ship

References

Further reading

• Richard Aboulafia (Jun 7, 2018). "Opinion: Why Military Transports Are Less Popular Than You'd Expect". Aviation Week & Space Technology. http://aviationweek.com/defense/opinion-why-military-transports-are-less-popular-youd-expect. 

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