Military transport aircraft
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A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a
emergency relief missions by transporting humanitarian aid
.
Air frames
Fixed-wing
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Military transport aeroplanes are defined in terms of their range capability as
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]
The military glider is an unpowered tactical air transport which has been used in some campaigns to transport troops and/or equipment to the battle front.
Rotary wing
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.
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
.
Medium transport helicopters are generally capable of moving up to a
Super Puma, CH-46 Sea Knight, and NH90
.
Heavy lift helicopters are the largest and most capable of the transport types, currently limited in service to the
Aérospatiale Super Frelon.[2] 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 offset by their not requiring a runway.
Payload comparison
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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) (with 200000 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) (with 80000 kg payload) | 11,500 (6,200) (with 40000 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) (payload 54431 kg) | |
| Soviet Union (Ukraine) | Antonov An-22[3] | 80 | 250,000 (550,000) | 32.7 (107) | 4.44 (14.6) | 4.44 (14.6) | 5,000 (2,700) | 10,950 (5,910) (with payload 45000 kg) | ||
| United States | Boeing C-17[4] | 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) (with 71000 kg payload) | ||
| China | Xi'an Y-20 | 66 | 220,000 (490,000) | 20 (66) | 4 (13) | 4 (13) | 7,800 (4,200) | |||
| 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) (with 52000 kg payload) | ||
| Europe | Airbus A330 MRTT[5] | 45 | 233,000 (514,000) | 45 (148) | 5.28 (17.3) | 2.54 (8.3) | 14,816 (8,000) | |||
| Europe | Airbus A400M | 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) (with 30000 kg payload) | 6,400 (3,500) (with 20000 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) (with 30000 kg payload) | 7,600 (4,100) (with 20000 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) (with 23000 kg payload) | 5,020 (2,710) (with 14000 kg payload) |
| China | Shaanxi Y-9[6] | 23 | 65,000 (143,000) | 16.2 (53) | 3.2 (10) | 2.35 (7.7) | 5,800 (3,100) | |||
| Soviet Union | Mil Mi-26[7] | 20 | 56,000 (123,000) | 12 (39) | 3.3 (11) | 2.9 (9.5) | 800 (430) | |||
| United States | Lockheed Martin C-130J[4] | 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) (with 15422 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) | |||
| Italy | Alenia C-27J Spartan[8] | 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) (with 4536 kg payload) | |
| United States | Boeing CH-47 Chinook[9] | 10.886 | 22,680 (50,000) | 9.14 (30.0) | 2.53 (8.3) | 1.98 (6.5) | 1,173 (633) | |||
| Spain | CASA 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) (with 2940 kg payload) |
See also
References
- ^ "Study into the impact of the global economic crisis on airframe utilisation" (PDF). Eurocontrol. January 2011. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
- ^ "Articles Tagged: Transport Aircraft". Military.com. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Antonov An-22". Aerocorner. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Comparison of military transport aircraft". theaviationzone.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ "Airbus A330 MRTT". Aerocorner. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Shaanxi Y-9". Military Today.
- ^ "Mi-26 HALO". Federations of American Scientists - Military Analysis Network. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "C-27J Capabilities and Cost Analysis Report" (PDF). wildfiretoday. Convergent Performance, LLC. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "CH-47 Chinook". helis.com. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
Further reading
- Richard Aboulafia (Jun 7, 2018). "Opinion: Why Military Transports Are Less Popular Than You'd Expect". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
