Military transport aircraft

For freight and cargo aircraft, see Cargo aircraft.

C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft

Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver 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 of the commercial flight routes in uncontrolled airspace. Originally derived from bombers, military transport aircraft were used for delivering airborne forces during the Second World War and towing military gliders. Some military transport aircraft are tasked to performs multi-role duties such as aerial refueling and, tactical, operational and strategic airlifts onto unprepared runways, or those constructed by engineers.

Fixed wing transport, tanker, cargo airlift, and utility aircraft

Fixed wing transport aircraft are largely defined in terms of their range capability as strategic airlift, airlift and tactical airlift to reflect the needs of the land forces which they most often support. These roughly correspond to the commercial flight length distinctions:

Short-haul flight:	<3 hours
Medium-haul flight:	3 to 6 hours
Long-haul flight:	>6 hours

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.

Active military airlift transports and cargo aircraft

The C-5 Galaxy

The Airbus A400M

Kawasaki XC-2

The Il-76 'Candid'

The Transall C160NG, Escadron Anjou, French Air Force

Manufacturer	Model	first flight	max Payload (t)	Cruise (km/h)	max range (km)	MTOW
Airbus	A330 MRTT	2007	45	860	14,800	223
Airbus	A400M	2009	37	780	9,300	141
Alenia	C-27J Spartan	2008	11.5	583	5,926	31.8
Antonov	An-12	1957	20	777	5,700	61
Antonov	An-22 Antei	1965	80	740	5,000	250
Antonov	An-26	1969	5.5	440	2,550	24
Antonov	An-32	1976	6.7	480	2,500	26.9
Antonov	An-70	1994	47	729	6,600	145
Antonov	An-72	1977	7.5	600	4,800	33
Antonov	An-124 Ruslan	1982	150	800-850	5,410	405
Antonov	An-225 Mriya	1988	250	800	15,400	600
AVIC	Y-9	2008	25	650	7,800	77
Bell/Boeing	V-22 Osprey	1989	6.8	396	1,627	27.4
Boeing	C-17 Globemaster III	1991	77.5	830	4,482	265
CASA	C-212 Aviocar	1971	2.8	315	1,433	8
CASA/Indonesian Aerospace	CN-235	1983	5	509	5,003	15.1
CASA	C-295	1998	9.3	481	5,630	23.2
de Havilland Canada	C-7 Caribou	1958	3.6	348	2,103	14.2
Douglas	C-47	1943	3	360	2,600	10.5
Grumman	C-1 Trader	1952	1.6	462	2,092	13.2
Grumman	C-2 Greyhound	1964	4.5	465	2,400	24.7
Embraer	C-390	2014	19	900	6,200	72
Fairchild	C-123 Provider	1949	11	367	1,666	27
Ilyushin	Il-76	1971	47	900	4,400	210
Ilyushin	Il-112	2011	5.9	550	5,000	20
Kawasaki	C-1	1970	11.9	657	1,300	45
Kawasaki	XC-2	2010	37.6	890	6,500	120
Lockheed	C-5 Galaxy	1968	122	907	4,445	381
Lockheed	C-130 Hercules	1954	20	540	3,800	70.3
Lockheed	C-141 Starlifter	1963	45	912	9,880	147
Short Brothers	C-23 Sherpa	1982	3.2	296	1,239	3.2
Transport Allianz	Transall C-160	1963	16	513	1,850	49.2
UAC and HAL	UAC/HAL Multirole Transport Aircraft	2015	22	830	2,500	68

Commercial and tanker aircraft

Commercial aircraft used in military role C-9 Skytrain II C-12 Huron C-20 Gulfstream III C-21 Learjet C-32 C-40 Clipper VC-25A Air Force One

Military aerial refuelling tankers RAF TriStar refuelling US Navy F/A-18s Airbus A400M Airbus A310 MRTT Airbus A330 MRTT C-135 Stratolifter Lockheed TriStar KC-10 Extender KC-135 Stratotanker Vickers VC10 Ilyushin Il-78

Transport helicopters

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

CH-53 with possible internal load

CH-54B carrying an M551 Sheridan tank

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 helicopter 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 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 for the carriage of 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.

Not all militaries are able to operate a full range of transport helicopters so the medium transport type as the most useful compromise is 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 under-slung 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 AFVs (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 being more than compensated by their ability to operate anywhere.

See also

• Cargo aircraft
• Loadmaster
• Airlift