Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for: friends of China’s large transport aircraft design design
Data Figure: China Air Force IL-76 delivery of materials

Guang-Wen Chen

military power in the world today , medium-sized military transport aircraft, we used to call the Grand Canal, its military aircraft in one of the important models in large-scale military operation has a pivotal position. Such models have a lot of fast delivery of troops, weapons and other military supplies to the front line of combat capability, to ensure strategic mobility forces and tactical delivery of large-scale, fast and sudden, many times in recent years played a modern war a crucial role. Widely used because of large military transport aircraft, it can also serve as airborne early warning aircraft, aerial refueling, electronic jamming aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft. Special mission aircraft and other support aircraft, modified the basic platform. Therefore, the world powers have regarded self-developed and medium-sized military transport strategy, whether as a country with strategic air transport capability, the availability of rapid mobility capability of the mark; and modified by such a large number of support aircraft fleet as the air combat force multiplier, can make war to the greatest extent toward the direction of one’s own advantage.

power of strategic starting point

dominant in the information into a modern war, because war suddenness, high intensity, fast-paced, huge consumption of materials, and thus the rapid reaction combat units, mobile operations and sustained combat capability and put forward new and higher requirements. Transmission capacity of a country the size of the air, to some extent determine the outcome of war has gradually become an important factor.

most modern military transport aircraft have a large powerful engine and good aerodynamics, its cruising speed is generally up to 800 to 900 km/h, is 15 times the speed of land transport, sea transport speed 25 times, it can be said that the three fastest means of transport. Range of modern large transport aircraft has reached thousands or even thousands of meters. Basic can be deployed across intercontinental, by aerial refueling, can be implemented worldwide shipping. Therefore, military transport aircraft, especially the number of large military transport aircraft and equipment, technology and delivery performance has become the measure of whether a country has a “strategic air force,” an important indicator of ability.

from recent years several high-tech local wars of view, the first large military transport aircraft are deployed, the use of aircraft the size of the main battle has been connected. Large-scale application of large transport aircraft, the entire force to directly improve mobility and rapid response capability, strengthened the ability to control the process of war, the troops continued to enhance combat capability. According to statistics, during the 1991 Gulf War, the United States used military transport aircraft and a total temporary requisition of civilian transport aircraft to the Gulf region had 539,000 tons of cargo delivered and nearly 500,000 various types of combat personnel, carried out 14,000 long-range transportation task. Even in a relatively decentralized operations in the war on terror in Afghanistan, the United States, such as the use of large military transport aircraft C-5 and C-17. Reached 140. In the Iraq war, the U.S. dispatched C-17, C-130, C-5. C-141 and other medium-sized transport aircraft, performed more than 20,000 sorties were flown missions, transporting troops of about 30 million passengers, 120,000 tons of goods transported. The powerful U.S. military airlift capability to achieve its strategic vision to create the conditions, but also to meet the transport requirements of rapid mobility battlefield.

comprehensive analysis, large modern military transport aircraft in modern warfare as the main role:

First, to achieve the rapid deployment of combat troops. As the speed of large military transport aircraft, carrying capacity, range far, so fast air troops, combat equipment and military supplies to reach the designated location, for rapid deployment of combat units or supplement. The enemy as soon as possible to the greatest strategic deterrence. When the deterrent role to play. Can even avoid moving Bingge, and when this deployment is not deterred when the hostile forces, this deterrent can be quickly put into combat. During the Gulf War, the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, kicked off 48 hours after departure from the U.S. mainland, intercontinental long-distance, long-range attack on thousands of meters, as the rapid mobility of forces first entered Saudi Arabia, 101 have followed the air assault division later. Emergency deployment in the Gulf region, the later start of military operations has played a pivotal role. Airborne operations in the Gulf War, the multinational force to the main site selection down deep inside Iraq. Iraqi defense department is weak, while the depth of the key objectives associated with the Iraqi army. Multinational force after the occupation of the premises, the establishment of “Cobra” forward operating base as a springboard to “leapfrog” tactics, quickly broke into the Euphrates River to help the Iraqi ground forces cut off the retreat for the defeated Iraqi army created the preconditions .

second is to enable forces to sustain combat capability. As high-tech weaponry in modern warfare a large number of applications, equipment, ammunition, fuel and other supplies such as consumption of abnormally large, if not to provide timely supplies and replacement. Outcome of the war are likely to have lethal effect. Beginning of the war in Iraq, the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division advancing too fast, once the logistical difficulties. Passive situation as soon as possible to get rid of the battlefield, the U.S. military to use its most advanced large-scale C-17 strategic transport aircraft, 3rd Infantry Division to the timely delivery of the ammunition, food, medicine and other supplies to ease the supply and demand. According to incomplete statistics, total U.S. consumption in the Gulf War, all kinds of materials up to 3,000 tons, is nearly 50 times the entire Korean War. Seen in this light. Forces continued to maintain combat capability, there must be convenient, fast and efficient large-scale air support forces do support.

third is to guarantee the implementation of special operations and peacetime implementation of international humanitarian relief and rescue missions. Large military transport aircraft because of the continuing flight away, so the war can perform special operations missions as formed units devoted to specific areas, sometimes even with people and equipment put into operation at the same time, greatly improves the effectiveness of war and sudden. In a growing number of international humanitarian relief and rescue operations, the large number of large military aircraft in the transfer of personnel, transport relief supplies, rescue personnel and equipment, transportation, and so to show their talents. In China last year’s Wenchuan earthquake. In addition to China’s large military transport aircraft to transport large numbers of personnel and supplies to the earthquake site, the U.S. military C-17 large transport aircraft to the United States has donated relief supplies by air to Wenchuan.

the analysis information. With strategic airlift capability is an important guarantee for the victory of modern war. 15% of the U.S. military’s strategic mobility of traffic is by large military transport aircraft to complete the implementation of long-range combat strategic bombers, tactical fighters, also rely mainly on transport aircraft to protect. U.S. military transport aircraft forces in previous wars abroad have played a major role. In 2003, the war in Iraq as an example. The transport unit of about 15,940 vehicles per mission, delivering 10 million tons of material and 13.276 million troops, the air war the total number of U.S. personnel accounted for 79% of the total.

active mainly Dayun models

because of large military transport aircraft in the next war will play an increasingly important role, now that countries will be more and more emphasis on research and development of such models. But because such models developed technically demanding, expensive development costs. And the development and testing of a long cycle, so the world’s large military transport aircraft development is very uneven. United States has large military or civilian transport aircraft types. The largest number of countries, the large transport aircraft, representing the world’s highest level of development of large transport aircraft. Russia’s military or civilian transport aircraft in a large research and development, after the United States. At present, the independent development of large military transport aircraft of the countries only the United States and Russia, although Russia after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union because of the strength of some weakening, but still have a certain level of development of large military transport aircraft. Although the independent Ukraine, Uzbekistan, took over the Soviet Union were the AN-124, Il-76 transport aircraft production line, but if you do not cooperate with Russia still has independently developed the ability to produce large transport aircraft. European countries, although the A400M large military transport aircraft project, but the distribution of work in the investment and development there are still huge differences to achieve actual delivery is still a long way to go. China and the world, many countries, not yet equipped with self-made large military transport aircraft.

large military transport aircraft from the operational use up can be divided into two types of strategic airlift and tactical transport aircraft. Mainly responsible for long-range (typically intercontinental), a large number of troops and large supplies of weapons and equipment and transportation tasks as strategic transport aircraft, military transport aircraft. Such transport has characteristics: load capability, range far off the general weight of 150 tons, more than 40 tons load. Normal load range of more than 4000 km, can be airborne, airdrop and fast handling, mainly away from the war zone large/medium-sized standard airport takeoff and landing, if necessary, can take off and land at the air field. U.S. C-5, C-17, the Russian An-22, -124, -225, IL-76 belong to this type of aircraft.

the United States a unique show

present, the international military can create the basic manufacturers of large transport aircraft from the United States, Western Europe and the CIS, Ukraine and Russia. United States, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman have divided up the Big Three U.S. Air Force large strategic transport aircraft, AWACS, command and control aircraft, stealth bombers, air refueling as well as strategic production share. Airbus is the only European manufacturers have developed large aircraft. In addition to its product line of large civilian passenger/cargo aircraft, the military is the development of large transport aircraft A400M strategic transport aircraft. Compared with the United States and Europe, the CIS, but gloomy prospects for large aircraft manufacturing industry, the Soviet Union made the last one under the aegis of the central government’s large aircraft production in different countries fall into the hands of the Commonwealth. Russian experts are worried, or re-establish the Commonwealth of Independent States Commonwealth of production. Russian independent recovery or a complete industrial chain, otherwise, the Soviet legacy of large military aircraft manufacturing capacity will no longer exist in 10 years, which from the CIS countries since the Soviet Union has not officially come out of a new product can be seen.

the United States was undoubtedly the most famous military transport aircraft C-17 and C-5 strategic transport. C-17 “Globemaster” III is the latest highly flexible strategic military transport aircraft. Adapted to the rapid deployment of troops to be transported directly to the main military base or a forward base of strategic transport, if necessary, the aircraft can serve in the tactical transport and airdrop missions. This inherent flexibility and performance to help the U.S. military has greatly enhanced the ability of global air mobility forces. Machine length 53.04 meters. Height 16.79 meters. Wingspan of 51.81 m, maximum takeoff weight of 265.5 tons. It can be 915 meters long runway simple (using thrust reversers), according to the U.S. military introduced, in line with this condition have tens of thousands of airports in the world, which will greatly enhance the deployment flexibility of such transport. Aerial refueling aircraft is not full range of 4630 km, the maximum range of aerial refueling 11,600 km. The typical loading criteria: First, two armored personnel carriers, plus two 5 t 2.5 t trailer truck, three jeeps; two, three AH-1sUE, mirror snake armed helicopters, three OH-58C base Iowa Helicopter.

and C-5 “Galaxy” is the largest U.S. heavy bombers, it is a total of five crew members, after its central wing to the tail of the upper compartment can carry 75 soldiers, the lower main deck can be carrying 270 soldiers, the U.S. active-duty Army divisions are equipped with various weapons available in 97% of the transport. The aircraft captain 75.54 meters. Height 19.85 meters. Wingspan of 67.88 meters. Maximum payload of 118,387 kilograms. Maximum takeoff weight of 3,779,657 kg. Its maximum level flight speed 919 km/h, service ceiling 10,895 meters, 2530 meters from the takeoff roll and landing roll distance 725 m, maximum load range (more than 5% oil) 5526 km. The aircraft’s most distinctive design is its “drive-in loading and unloading services.” In other words. Armored vehicles to the c-5 “Galaxy” entered the cargo hold of the tail, and in the cockpit from the bottom of the front door exit. The aircraft nearly 20 tons of load, transport aircraft family in the world ranking, “the youngest.” Second only to Russia, Ukraine, -225 and An-124 transport aircraft.

urgent revival of Russia

large military transport aircraft An-124 from the former Soviet Union, Antonov Design Group design. In the 1980s, the world’s largest strategic heavy transport aircraft. AN-124 replaces the 1974 shutdown of the An-22 heavy transport aircraft, the performance is better than the current largest U.S. C-5 transport aircraft. -124 Nicknamed “Ruslan”, is a Russian folk tale of the hero’s name. As the Soviet Union, Antonov Design Group now has become the Republic of Ukraine Antonov aviation scientific and technical complex. In 1985, the An-124 supplies a record 171,219 kg load, altitude 10,750 m record. Breaking the C-5 by the United States to create a load height of the original world record. The aircraft fuselage was pear-shaped cross-section of thick, swept under the main wing to wing on the trans. Wingspan of 73.30 meters. Its nose tail cargo doors are equipped with full-size, respectively, to open up and to the left and right, goods direct from free access throughout the compartment. The aircraft can carry the upper compartment 88 troops, the lower main deck dimensions are 36 meters long, 6.4 meters wide. High 4.4 meters, the volume of 1013.76 cubic meters, load up to 150 tons of take-off weight of 405 tons. This indicator is about the U.S. C-17 two times. 1.25 times the C-5, An-22 1.8 times. As a large cargo space, not only An-124 military transport large sets of weapons and equipment, can also carry conventional aircraft fuselage, chemical plants and other large pieces of cargo tower. In January 2008, the aircraft has a one-time shipment 3 “Fierce Dragon” aircraft delivered to Pakistan.

Russian Il-76 transport aircraft is also known to outsiders large military aircraft, using the empty weight 89 tons, maximum load 47 tons, maximum takeoff weight of 170 tons, a range of 3650 km. Although the use of aircraft for 30 years, but because of its rugged construction, a large volume of the body, still in service in many countries. According to legend, in recent years, the export situation as optimistic about the aircraft, Russia and Ukraine intend to reopen the aircraft production line. The aircraft’s cargo hold size is 20 m X3.45 m X 3.4 m (length X width X height), single cargo hold can carry 145 fully armed soldiers, or 125 paratroopers. When, after the installation of double-deck can carry 225 fully armed soldiers, the upper passages 80, the lower passages 145.

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