airlifter

An airlifter is an aircraft designed or designated to perform airlift missions, moving large quantities of cargo by air. Airlifters are used by military and civilian organizations to transport troops, vehicles, equipment, and humanitarian supplies rapidly to locations that may be difficult to reach by ground or sea.

Most airlifters are large fixed-wing transports, including turboprop and jet-powered aircraft. They are optimized for high payloads, cargo handling efficiency, and the ability to operate from semi-prepared or austere airfields. Some are oriented toward strategic airlift, enabling long-range, inter-theater movement, while others focus on tactical airlift, delivering goods to forward bases and disaster zones.

Prominent examples of airlifters include military transport aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and the large C-5 Galaxy; the Russian Antonov An-124 Ruslan; and other heavy transports such as the Antonov An-22 and the European Airbus A400M. In civilian use, large freighters perform similar roles for commercial cargo operations.

The airlifter concept developed during World War II and matured through the Cold War with more capable jet and turboprop transports. Today, airlifters remain central to military logistics, humanitarian relief, and global supply chains, enabling rapid movement of equipment and personnel across difficult terrain and international borders.