Tag: military aircraft

• C-130 Hercules

  The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft is affectionately referred to by many as the Herc and has been in continuous production since 1956. To date, more than 2,260 of the aircraft in various configurations have been delivered to 60 countries, and 67 countries fly the plane, some of which were purchased as pre-owned. From 1964 […]

• Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout‘s design is based on the Schweizer Aircraft 330 helicopter. It’s also based on the RQ-8B VTUAV System which the U.S. Navy is currently testing and evaluating. Production of the Fire Scout began in 2000, though the MQ-8B was not used extensively until May of 2002. The U.S. Navy and Army each […]

• C-141 Starlifter

  The C-141 Starlifter is manufactured by Lockheed-Georgia Co. (now Lockheed Martin) and entered service for the United States Air Force in 1964 though it didn’t actually begin operations until 1965. In 1979, the U.S. Army took delivery of its first C-141. The aircraft has been primarily used for long range troop and equipment transportation and […]

• RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) began operational service in 2000 and remains in service with the United States Air Force. The Global Hawk is a high-altitude aircraft that has been used extensively for acquiring reconnaissance images in the Iraq War. These high-resolution images are received by battlefield commanders in almost real-time. The Global […]

• C-5 Galaxy

  The C-5 Galaxy entered service in June 1970 when Lockheed-Georgia Co. delivered the aircraft to the United States Air Force. The USAF has retained exclusive purchasing rights to the Galaxy. The primary purpose of the Lockheed C-5 is to support heavy airlift missions on behalf of the U.S. military. The airplane is capable of transporting […]

• MQ-5B Hunter

  The MQ-5B Hunter is an unmanned aircraft used for surveillance, reconnaissance, battle damage assessment, and identification of enemy targets. The medium altitude MQ-5B is based on the RQ-5A Hunter, which Northrop Grumman built for the U.S. Army in 1996. The newer generation Hunter can be operated by enlisted soldiers and minimal maintenance is required of […]

• C17 Globemaster

  The C-17 Globemaster III is a military transport airplane with a high wing, four engines and an unusual T-tail. Its primary mission is to transport troops, supplies, and/or over-sized equipment anywhere in the world in daylight or at night. It has high adaptability for various missions, in part because the C-17 can use paved or […]

• KC-135 Stratotanker

  The KC-135 Stratotanker was first deployed in August 1956, and has been in operation since 1957. Though the KC-135 Stratotanker is mostly used to refuel planes in-flight, it can also transport cargo, perform reconnaissance work, or be used as an aerial command center. For medical emergencies, the Stratotanker can transport or evacuate patients. Above the […]

• Antonov An-72

  The Antonov An-72 Coaler transport and cargo plane was developed for the Russian military, and some details about the airplane (including its original cost) remain unknown today. The first prototype of the An-72 was flown in 1977, and it was designed to replace the An-26 transport aircraft. In 1985, two versions of the An-72 airplane […]

• C295

  The EADS CASA C-295 is primarily a transport airplane designed to carry troops, equipment, or perform medical evacuations. Its versatility makes it especially attractive to countries that may be involved in a variety of missions, whether they’re humanitarian or military in nature. The C-295 is manufactured by EADS CASA, a consortium of several European aircraft […]

• P3 Orion

  The P-3 Orion has made its reputation as a formidable submarine finder, though its maritime duties also include sea patrols and reconnaissance. Not only is the P-3 Orion used extensively by the United States Navy, it is flown by the German and Pakistan Navies. Many other countries have at least one P-3 as well, including […]