Airlift
An airlift is the organized delivery of
Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material long distances (such as across or off the continent or theater), whereas a tactical airlift focuses on deploying resources and material into a specific location with high precision.
Depending on the situation, airlifted supplies can be delivered by a variety of means. When the destination and surrounding
During disasters and other crises, airlifts are used to support or replace other transport methods to relieve beleaguered
History
In November 1915 the
In April 1923 aircraft of the
The world's
Airlifts became practical during World War II as aircraft became large and sophisticated enough to handle large cargo demands. The Germans used an airlift in successful relief of the Demyansk Pocket, albeit with the Luftwaffe suffering considerable losses to its fleet of transport planes. Due to the apparent vindication of the airlift tactic, Chief of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe Hermann Göring assured Adolf Hitler that the Luftwaffe could conduct an airlift on a larger scale, which was the key factor not to let the Sixth Army withdraw from Stalingrad after its encirclement by the Red Army. However the Luftwaffe was strained at this point while facing better prepared Soviet air forces at Stalingrad, so they were unable to delivery the necessary supplies before the airfields were overrun. In spite of the airlift's obvious shortcomings, Hitler refused permission for the Sixth Army to attempt a breakout, eventually leading its commander Friedrich Paulus to surrender.[4]
The U.S. Army Air Force's Air Transport Command began the largest and longest-sustained airlift of the war in May 1942, delivering more than half a million net tons of materiel from India to Free China over the Hump by November 1945. After many USAAF airmen were shot down in Nazi-occupied Serbia during Operation Tidal Wave, the U.S. Fifteenth Air Force and the Office of Strategic Services evacuated a number of them in Operation Halyard with the assistance of Draža Mihailović's Chetnik partisans.[5] Additionally, at the end of World War II the USAAF and the RAF arranged humanitarian airdrops to the Nazi-occupied Netherlands through Operations Manna and Chowhound to alleviate the Dutch famine of 1944-45.[6]
The largest airlift was the
The
During the
The largest civilian airlift ever, the
During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the U.S. Air Force Military Airlift Command conducted Operation Nickel Grass to resupply Israel in the face of a coordinated surprise attack by Egypt and Syria.[20] The airlift allowed Israel to begin a counteroffensive against the Arab states but caused the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to place an oil embargo on the United States, beginning the 1970s energy crisis.[21]
During the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus the Hellenic Air Force attempted to airlift commandos to Nicosia Airport through Operation Niki but failed after the Nord Noratlas planes were shot down by friendly fire from the Cypriot National Guard after flying over RAF Akrotiri.[22][23]
The largest civilian airlift in history was conducted by
During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, numerous air forces and civilian airlines arranged evacuation flights from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]
The highest rate of civilian airlift in history (number of civilians evacuated per day) was during fall of Kabul in August 2021, where 778 flights evacuated 124,334 people over 17 days - 7,300 civilians per day (compared to 2,700 per day airlift of Indians from Kuwait in 1990).
Strategic airlift
Strategic airlift is the use of
Examples of late current large strategic airlifters include:
- Airbus A400M Atlas
- Antonov An-124 Ruslan
- Antonov An-225 Mriya (Only model destroyed during the Battle of Antonov Airport) [45]
- Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
- Ilyushin Il-76
- Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
- Xi'an Y-20
However it is prohibitively expensive and impractical to shift a substantial mechanised force such as
Tactical airlift
Tactical airlift is a
Tactical airlift aircraft are designed to be maneuverable, allowing the low-altitude flight to avoid detection by radar and for the airdropping of supplies. Most are fitted with defensive aids systems to protect them from attack by surface-to-air missiles.
The earliest Soviet tactical airlift occurred in 1929, in which forty men of the
Examples of late current large tactical airlifters include:
- Antonov An-12
- Antonov An-72
- CH-47 Chinookdemonstrating tactical airlift capabilities
- Antonov An-178
- EADS CASA CN-235
- EADS CASA C-295
- C-27 Spartan
- C-130J Super Hercules
- Transall C-160
- Kawasaki C-2
- Shaanxi Y-8
- Shaanxi Y-9
- Embraer KC-390
Airlifter comparison
Recent platforms
Aircraft[47][48][49][50] | Role | Max. payload (Kg) | Range (NM) | Cruise(Mach) | Ceiling (Ft.)
|
Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antonov An-72[51] | Tactical | 10,000 | 1,728 NM | Mach .68 | 36,089 Ft | $12.5m (est.) |
C-130J Super Hercules[52] | Tactical | 19,050 | 2,380 NM | Mach .58 | 33,000 Ft | $ 52m (est.) |
Antonov An-12 | Tactical | 20,000 | 1,940 NM | Mach .55 | 33,000 Ft | — |
Shaanxi Y-8 | Tactical | 20,000 | 3,030 NM | Mach .45 | 34,000 Ft | — |
Embraer KC-390
|
Tactical | 26,000 | 3,140 NM | Mach .70 | 36,000 Ft | $ 50m (est.) |
Shaanxi Y-9 | Tactical | 25,000 | 3,700 NM | Mach .53 | 34,120 Ft | — |
Airbus A400M Atlas | Strategic/tactical | 37,000 | 2,450 NM | Mach .72 | 37,000 Ft | € 100m (est.) |
Airbus C295
|
Tactical | 9,250 | 2,100 NM | Mach .35 | 30,000 Ft | - |
Kawasaki C-2 | Strategic/tactical | 37,600 | 3,000 NM | Mach .80 | 40,000 Ft | $ 120m (est.) |
Antonov An-70 | Tactical | 47,000 | 1,621 NM | Mach .73 | 40,000 Ft | $ 80m (est.) |
Ilyushin Il-76 | Strategic/tactical | 60,000 | 2,700 NM | Mach .70 | 42,700 Ft | $ 120m (est.) |
Xian Y-20
|
Strategic | 66,000 | 2,430 NM | Mach .75 | 42,700 Ft | — |
C-17 Globemaster III | Strategic/tactical | 77,520 | 2,380 NM | Mach .77 | 45,000 Ft | $ 225m |
C-5 Galaxy
|
Strategic | 122,472 | 2,400 NM | Mach .77 | 34,000 Ft | $ 168m |
Antonov An-124
|
Strategic | 150,000 | 2,808 NM | Mach .65 | 35,000 Ft | $70–100m |
Antonov An-225
|
Strategic | 250,000 | 2,159 NM | Mach .61 | 33,000 Ft | — |
See also
- Airbridge
- Airdrop
- Air cargo
- Berlin airlift
- Loss of Strength Gradient, a military concept
- Operation Nickel Grass, to Israel, 1973
- Power projection
- Sealift
- Hub-spoke distribution
References and notes
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- ^ "Veliki rat – Avijacija". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian). 8 February 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ Per photograph caption pg.146 and also text pg.201, Air Power, Budiansky, Stephen, Penguin Group, London England 2005
- OCLC 40646157.
- ^ "The greatest rescue you've never heard of". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Operation Manna-Chowhound: Deliverance from Above". The National WWII Museum | New Orleans. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- OCLC 1018254052.
- OCLC 495598280.
- OCLC 76481596.
- ^ Archives, The National. "Berlin Blockade and formation of NATO". www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "The Berlin Blockade". NATO. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "On wings of eagles: Operation to bring Yemenite Jews to Israel". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ "Operation Ezra & Nehemia - The Airlift of Iraqi Jews". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Operation Moses". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ "1984-1991 Airlift of Ethiopian Jewish community |". 2017-05-10. Archived from the original on 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ "Operation Solomon". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Kennedy, Bruce. "1954 battle changed Vietnam's history". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008.
- ISBN 0-02-881047-3.
- ISBN 1-902109-63-5)
- ^ "Nickel Grass". 2012-03-31. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Wambold, Adam (2014-10-08). "Operation Nickel Grass: Turning Point of the Yom Kippur War »". Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Military Histories - July 21st to 22nd 1974". www.militaryhistories.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Nicosia, Associated Press in (2015-08-06). "Cypriot officials say they may have found Greek aircraft shot down in 1974". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- JSTOR 45341807.
- ^ Venkataramakrishnan, Rohan (2 July 2014). "The Berlin airlift was remarkable, but the largest civilian evacuation in history is by India". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Khaleej Times Online - Return of evacuees brings joy to families". 2007-09-30. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "India unveils Operation Safe Homecoming, thousands on way". Sify. 2011-03-02. Archived from the original on 2011-03-02. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "India evacuates 4,640 nationals, 960 others from Yemen". oneindia.com. 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Haider, Irfan (2015-03-27). "Nawaz orders evacuation of Pakistanis stranded in Yemen". dawn.com. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Nepal quake: India launches 'Operation Maitri', airlifts 546 from Kathmandu". 2015-04-26. Archived from the original on 2015-04-26. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Second plane carrying 323 Indians from Wuhan to reach Delhi today". India Today. February 1, 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Jiang, Steven; Stracqualursi, Veronica (25 January 2020). "US chartering flight to evacuate American diplomats and citizens out of China amid coronavirus outbreak". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Goldstein, Michael. "US State Department Brings Home Over 85,000 Americans In Coronavirus Crisis". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy. "Coronavirus: India brings back 36 foreigners and 76 nationals from Wuhan". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Эвакуация украинцев из Уханя: куда прилетит самолет, как обустроят карантин и кто протестует?". gordonua.com. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Finns arrive in France after repatriation from Wuhan". Yle Uutiset. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Canadian government worker, flight crew released from coronavirus quarantine - National | Globalnews.ca". 2020-02-10. Archived from the original on 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Coronavirus evacuation flight from Wuhan lands in Darwin - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. 2020-02-09. Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Air Force colonel recalls the last flights out of Kabul in one of the largest evacuations in history". Fox News. 2 September 2022.
- ^ Chughtai, Alia. "Infographic: Tracking the flights out of Kabul". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ Saric, Ivana (26 August 2021). "U.S. allies scramble to leave Afghanistan". Axios. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ "US troops to stay until Americans and eligible Afghans evacuated, says Biden". the Guardian. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ Kaufman, Ellie; Liebermann, Oren; Stracqualursi, Veronica; Benveniste, Alexis (22 August 2021). "Pentagon activates US airlines to assist with evacuation efforts from Afghanistan". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ Gaouette, Nicole; Hansler, Jennifer; Starr, Barbara; Liebermann, Oren (30 August 2021). "The last US military planes have left Afghanistan, marking the end of the United States' longest war". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
- ^ "Ukraine detains officials over destruction of famous plane at start of war". Reuters. 10 March 2023.
- ^ Tucker, Spencer, 2013. Encyclopedia of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A New Era of Modern Warfare: A New Era of Modern Warfare. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. https://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOCorporate/product.aspx?pc=A3973C
- ^ Comparison of military transport aircraft
- ^ "Caro capacity of military transport aircraft". Archived from the original on 2018-08-11. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ Lockheed C-5 data Archived May 16, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Shaanxi Y-9 (Yun-9)".
- ^ "An-72 COALER (ANTONOV)".
- ^ Pike, John. "C-130J Specifications and Performance". www.globalsecurity.org.
External links
- The short film AIRLIFT ... WORKING FOR HUMANITY (1979) is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.