Military transport Aircraft. Part-Two.

Enter the Giants.

The United States have a choice of three heavy transports from the C-141 Star lifter, C-17 Globe master and the enormous C-5 Galaxy. This has proven invaluable for them as a world superpower over the years.

Initially the Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation to have developed their three types, but all from one manufacturer Antonov with the An-22, An-124 Ruslan and the An-224 Mirya (Dream).

Both superpowers have also the back up of their own large civilian commercials such as the Boeing 747-2/400F' and the Ilyushin IL-89/96.

These dominate heavy lifting capability around the world, in the moving of missile systems, radars, and extra warheads, The Boeing 747-400 and the Russian Antonov An-224 were adopted and developed for both the NASA Space shuttle and the Soviet Buran to piggy back between landing and relaunching.

Most of the aircraft are capable of the movement of between 150 to 250 fully laden combat troops, with essential equipment from vehicles to artillery. Apart from Surface to Surface missiles, there is of course the need to move medium range mobile carriers for Nuclear ICBMs.

Today some of these aircraft also work with the United Nations in medical and food relief to disaster zones.

Military Transport Aircraft. Part-One.

Comparing Types.

Currently N.A.T.O. and most of the western world uses the Lockheed C-130 is one form or another, it has become the most flexible workhorse for medium military transportation over the years. Now the Europeans have introduced the A400M, which some countries have returned because it has not come up to the C-130H/J capability.

Meanwhile depending on what happen with Antonov in the Ukraine, their An-70 will be a third contender. One likes to think that the C-130 is the ultimate transport, but the British had the Shorts Belfast which was probably better.

The United States wanted no competition to its version and so the world has been bullied into accepting the type. With no alternative, military activity in the transport area has been very limited. 

Many countries just converted civil aircraft types to transport troops under the United Nations, aircraft such as the BAC 1-11, DC-10-30 and Boeing 747 became limited carriers.

The Alvis Family. Part-One.

A British Success Story.

The basis of many British military tracked vehicles from 1969 to the present have been based on the chassis and engine of the Alvis. Two of the most popular have been the Scorpion light tank, now known as a ARV (armoured reconnaissance vehicle) and the Scimitarr with its 30mm Cannon.

The Scorpion has tow choices of gun, the standard 76mm or the option for the 90mm Cockerel which has proven superior for the role of this vehicle with the Irish Army on UN duties in South-Lebanon.

There are many other versions, numbering about thirty-three in all from engineering, recovery and command. Alvis was also very successful in their wheeled vehicles such as the Saladin prior to tracked. All of its vehicles have a good story in the exportation of and use world wide.