A Douglas C-47 Skytrain, derived from the Douglas DC-3
A 1970s Ilyushin-Il-76 airlifter designed for both strategic and tactical military operations
Fixed-wing 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 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.
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 infantrysquad 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 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.
^"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.
^"AN-132 Light Transport Aircraft". Antonov. Antonov Company. 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.
January 26, 2023
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For freight and cargo aircraft see Cargo aircraft Heavy transport helicopter redirects here For the European Defence Agency project see Future Transport Helicopter This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Military transport aircraft news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force Contents 1 Air frames 1 1 Fixed wing 1 2 Rotary wing 2 Payload comparison 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingAir frames EditFixed wing Edit A Douglas C 47 Skytrain derived from the Douglas DC 3 A 1970s Ilyushin Il 76 airlifter designed for both strategic and tactical military operations Fixed wing 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 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 Edit A Sikorsky CH 53K 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 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 Aerospatiale 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 Payload comparison EditCountry Aircraft Payload t Max takeoff weight Cargo hold Length Cargo hold Width Cargo hold HeightUkraine Antonov An 124 150 402 000 kg 886 000 lb 36 m 118 ft 6 4 m 21 ft 4 4 m 14 ft United States Lockheed C 5 Galaxy 129 274 381 018 kg 840 001 lb 37 m 121 ft 5 8 m 19 ft 4 1 m 13 ft Ukraine Antonov An 22 2 80 250 000 kg 550 000 lb 32 7 m 107 ft 4 44 m 14 6 ft 4 44 m 14 6 ft United States Boeing C 17 3 77 5 265 352 kg 585 001 lb 26 83 m 88 0 ft 5 49 m 18 0 ft 3 76 m 12 3 ft China Xi an Y 20 66 220 000 kg 490 000 lb 20 m 66 ft 4 m 13 ft 4 m 13 ft Russia Ilyushin Il 76 60 190 000 kg 420 000 lb 24 54 m 80 5 ft 3 45 m 11 3 ft 3 4 m 11 ft Ukraine Antonov An 70 47 145 000 kg 320 000 lb 19 1 m 63 ft 4 m 13 ft 4 1 m 13 ft Europe Airbus A330 MRTT 4 45 233 000 kg 514 000 lb 45 m 148 ft 5 28 m 17 3 ft 2 54 m 8 3 ft Europe Airbus A400M 37 141 000 kg 311 000 lb 17 71 m 58 1 ft 4 m 13 ft 3 85 m 12 6 ft rear section 4 m 13 ft Japan Kawasaki C 2 36 141 000 kg 311 000 lb 16 m 52 ft 4 m 13 ft 4 m 13 ft Brazil Embraer C 390 26 86 999 kg 191 800 lb 18 5 m 61 ft 3 00 m 9 84 ft 3 04 m 10 0 ft China Shaanxi Y 9 5 25 30 max 65 000 kg 143 000 lb 16 2 m 53 ft 3 20 m 10 5 ft 2 35 m 7 7 ft Russia Mil Mi 26 6 20 56 000 kg 123 000 lb 12 m 39 ft 3 3 m 11 ft 2 9 m 9 5 ft United States Lockheed Martin C 130J 3 19 8 70 370 kg 155 140 lb 12 5 m 41 ft 3 05 m 10 0 ft 2 75 m 9 0 ft Ukraine Antonov An 178 16 18 max 51 000 kg 112 000 lb 13 21 m 43 3 ft 2 73 m 9 0 ft 2 73 m 9 0 ft France Transall C 160 16 51 000 kg 112 000 lb 17 20 m 56 4 ft 3 15 m 10 3 ft 2 98 m 9 8 ft United States Sikorsky CH 53K 15 876 39 916 kg 88 000 lb 9 14 m 30 0 ft 2 46 m 8 1 ft 2 m 6 6 ft Italy Alenia C 27J Spartan 7 11 6 max 32 500 kg 71 700 lb 11 43 m 37 5 ft 3 33 m 10 9 ft 2 59 m 8 5 ft United States Boeing CH 47 Chinook 8 10 886 22 680 kg 50 000 lb 9 14 m 30 0 ft 2 53 m 8 3 ft 1 98 m 6 5 ft Ukraine Antonov An 132 9 9 2 28 500 kg 62 800 lb 13 45 m 44 1 ft 1 81 m 5 9 ft 2 4 m 7 9 ft Spain Airbus C295 7 9 25 max 23 200 kg 51 100 lb 12 69 m 41 6 ft 2 7 m 8 9 ft 1 9 m 6 2 ft See also EditAirlift Cargo aircraft Liaison aircraft List of military transport aircraft Loadmaster Troop shipReferences Edit Study into the impact of the global economic crisis on airframe utilisation PDF Eurocontrol January 2011 p 21 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 Yun 9 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 AN 132 Light Transport Aircraft Antonov Antonov Company Retrieved 3 November 2021 Further reading EditRichard Aboulafia Jun 7 2018 Opinion Why Military Transports Are Less Popular Than You d Expect Aviation Week amp Space Technology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Military transport aircraft amp oldid 1123746278, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
