A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply lines to forward bases that are difficult to reach by ground or waterborne access, and can be used for both strategic and tactical missions. They are also often used for civilian emergency relief missions by transporting humanitarian aid.

Airframes Fixed-wing

Military transport aeroplanes 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 , long-haul routes as longer than and medium-haul between.

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 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 amphibious assault ships. The landing possibilities of helicopters are almost unlimited; even when landing is impossible, such as in 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.

Medium transport helicopters are generally capable of moving up to a platoon of infantry, or transporting 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, 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 CH-53 Sea Stallion and related CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-47 Chinook, Mil Mi-26, and SA 321 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 offset by their not requiring a runway.

Payload comparison

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

(w/200,000 kg payload) Soviet Union (Ukraine) Antonov An-124 150

(w/80,000 kg payload) (w/40,000 kg payload) United States Lockheed C-5 Galaxy 129.274

(w/54,431 kg payload) Soviet Union (Ukraine) Antonov An-22 80

(w/45,000 kg payload) United States Boeing C-17 Globemaster III 77.5

(w/71,000 kg payload) China Xi'an Y-20 66

(w/55,000 kg payload) Soviet Union (Uzbekistan) Ilyushin Il-76 60

(w/52,000 kg payload) Europe Airbus A330 MRTT 45

Europe Airbus A400M Atlas 37

rear section：

(w/30,000 kg payload) (w/20,000 kg payload) Japan Kawasaki C-2 36

(w/30,000 kg payload) (w/20,000 kg payload) Brazil Embraer C-390 26

rear section：

(w/23,000 kg payload) (w/14,000 kg payload) China Shaanxi Y-9 23

Soviet Union Mil Mi-26 20

United States Lockheed Martin C-130J 19.8

(w/15,422 kg payload) Ukraine Antonov An-178 16 (18 max)

United States

15.876

(radius w/1,2247 kg) Italy Alenia C-27J Spartan 11.6 max

(w/4,536 kg payload) United States Boeing CH-47 Chinook 10.886

(combat radius) United States Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey 10

(w/3,485 kg payload) Spain Airbus C295 7 (9.25 max)

(w/2,940 kg payload)

See also Airlift Cargo aircraft Liaison aircraft List of military transport aircraft Loadmaster Troop ship

References

Further reading