Radia to Build World’s Largest Military Cargo Aircraft for U.S. and NATO Forces
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Radia to build the WindRunner for Defense, billed as the world’s largest military cargo aircraft, as announced at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2025. The ultra-large transport is aimed at closing the airlift gap for U.S. and NATO forces.
At the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2025, U.S.-based aerospace company Radia announced the WindRunner for Defense, an ultra-large aircraft it says will be the world’s biggest military cargo plane. Purpose-built to move oversized equipment and heavy loads, the transport is designed to address a long-standing shortage in airlift capacity for U.S. and NATO forces, underscoring growing concerns about rapid logistics in modern conflicts..Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Radia positions the military version of its Windrunner as a way to support existing fleets of strategic airlifters that remain operational but are out of production, such as the C-130 Hercules, the C-5 Galaxy, and the C-17 Globemaster III, while adding capacity for volume-dominated missions (Picture source: Radia)
Radia described the WindRunner for Defense as an ultra-large air cargo aircraft designed to meet a gap in U.S. and allied outsized airlift. The company emphasized that the aircraft is optimized around internal cargo volume rather than payload mass, allowing it to move complete systems without disassembly to austere, degraded, or contested locations. The program is linked to concepts such as Agile Combat Employment and distributed basing, which require forces to be positioned quickly in dispersed areas with limited infrastructure. Radia positions the military version as a way to support existing fleets of strategic airlifters that remain operational but are out of production, such as the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, while adding capacity for volume-dominated missions.
The WindRunner’s internal capacity is stated to exceed 6,800 cubic meters, equivalent to approximately seven times the cargo space of a C-5 and twelve times that of a C-17, making it the largest military transport aircraft ever built or proposed in history. This space is intended to enable roll-on and roll-off delivery of mission-ready equipment without specialized loaders or bespoke facilities. Radia argues that modern joint operations run out of space before reaching weight limits, with the consequence that assets often require disassembly or rerouting. These processes can increase timelines, raise vulnerability, and complicate logistics in areas where infrastructure is limited or damaged. The WindRunner is intended to mitigate these problems by carrying oversized assets in assembled form, allowing immediate operational use upon arrival.
Radia has previously cited specific examples to demonstrate the aircraft’s potential roles. The WindRunner could transport six CH-47 Chinook helicopters fully assembled, while a C-17 can only carry one after disassembly. It could also carry four CV-22 Ospreys to forward areas, four F-16 or F-35C fighter aircraft without requiring aerial refueling, and up to twelve Apache helicopters in a single sortie, compared to two on a C-17. Radia highlights support to space operations as well, including the ability to move rocket boosters in hours rather than days and to recover landed rocket cargo vehicles for reuse. By transporting systems intact, the aircraft is designed to reduce total flight hours, operational complexity, and exposure to disruption or attack.
The WindRunner’s operational requirements include the ability to operate from approximately 1,800-meter unpaved runways, which allows access to distributed, austere, or storm-damaged locations that conventional outsized aircraft cannot use. Radia presents this as a factor making the design suitable for combat sustainment in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, for Arctic operations, and for humanitarian and disaster response scenarios. The aircraft is fully compatible with standard ground-handling equipment, removing the need for specialized infrastructure, and the company describes this as consistent with expeditionary logistics strategies that favor dispersed basing and reduced dependency on large prepared airfields. Radia presented the defense configuration at booth 746 during the conference to reach military and government stakeholders.
The technical specifications of the ‘normal’ WindRunner are more than notable, at 108 meters in length, 80 meters in wingspan, and 24 meters in height, with a planned cruise speed of Mach 0.6, approximately 740 kilometers per hour. The maximum payload is around 72,575 kilograms, which is lower than historic heavy lifters such as the Antonov An-225 Mriya at 247,000 kilograms, the An-124 at 150,000 kilograms, or the C-5 Galaxy at 129,274 kilograms. However, the cargo bay volume is larger than any existing aircraft, with earlier materials citing up to 7,702 cubic meters in the civil configuration. The WindRunner’s maximum payload range is 2,000 kilometers, which is shorter than aircraft such as the Airbus A330 MRTT, the Kawasaki C-2, the Xi’an Y-20, or the A400M, but the design emphasizes volume over long-range capability. Engine placement is described as reducing the risk of foreign object damage on semi-prepared strips. Runway length requirements of 1,800 meters are shorter than those of the An-124 and An-225, and competitive with other large transports depending on conditions.
Radia states that the aircraft will use certified and proven components, with a development plan that seeks to achieve first flight by the end of the decade and initial operations around 2030. The engine type has not yet been publicly named, but is said to be an existing certified model under integration. The company plans to use digital design tools to reduce development time and proceed directly to several full-scale test aircraft rather than traditional prototype stages. Funding raised so far has been approximately $150 million, and further investment is being discussed with governments and private sources. Industry analysts have raised concerns about technical and business risks, including the short range compared to other transports, competition from possible hybrid airships, and discussions about restarting C-17 production. Radia maintains that there is demand for multiple solutions given the absence of large airlifters in current production.
Engagement with defense stakeholders has already taken place. In May 2025, Radia signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the U.S. Transportation Command to study outsized cargo applications, and a House Armed Services Committee markup commended this work while noting the Department of Defense lacks an airlift capability for cargo exceeding 300 feet in length. NATO countries within the Strategic Airlift International Solution program have also expressed interest. Radia outlines several potential business models, including government-owned and contractor-operated or fully contractor-owned arrangements.
Military-specific features such as aerial refueling could be added later, but the priority is to field the aircraft by 2030 to meet identified requirements. The WindRunner began as a civil project intended to transport wind turbine blades over 100 meters long for Radia’s GigaWind initiative. The destruction of the An-225 in 2022, the end of production for other large transports, and historical reliance on disassembly for air movement of fighters such as F-16s are cited as reinforcing the relevance of this program. Radia continues to describe WindRunner as a dual-use platform suitable for defense, energy, aerospace, and emergency response applications.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Radia to build the WindRunner for Defense, billed as the world’s largest military cargo aircraft, as announced at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2025. The ultra-large transport is aimed at closing the airlift gap for U.S. and NATO forces.
At the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2025, U.S.-based aerospace company Radia announced the WindRunner for Defense, an ultra-large aircraft it says will be the world’s biggest military cargo plane. Purpose-built to move oversized equipment and heavy loads, the transport is designed to address a long-standing shortage in airlift capacity for U.S. and NATO forces, underscoring growing concerns about rapid logistics in modern conflicts..
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Radia positions the military version of its Windrunner as a way to support existing fleets of strategic airlifters that remain operational but are out of production, such as the C-130 Hercules, the C-5 Galaxy, and the C-17 Globemaster III, while adding capacity for volume-dominated missions (Picture source: Radia)
Radia described the WindRunner for Defense as an ultra-large air cargo aircraft designed to meet a gap in U.S. and allied outsized airlift. The company emphasized that the aircraft is optimized around internal cargo volume rather than payload mass, allowing it to move complete systems without disassembly to austere, degraded, or contested locations. The program is linked to concepts such as Agile Combat Employment and distributed basing, which require forces to be positioned quickly in dispersed areas with limited infrastructure. Radia positions the military version as a way to support existing fleets of strategic airlifters that remain operational but are out of production, such as the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, while adding capacity for volume-dominated missions.
The WindRunner’s internal capacity is stated to exceed 6,800 cubic meters, equivalent to approximately seven times the cargo space of a C-5 and twelve times that of a C-17, making it the largest military transport aircraft ever built or proposed in history. This space is intended to enable roll-on and roll-off delivery of mission-ready equipment without specialized loaders or bespoke facilities. Radia argues that modern joint operations run out of space before reaching weight limits, with the consequence that assets often require disassembly or rerouting. These processes can increase timelines, raise vulnerability, and complicate logistics in areas where infrastructure is limited or damaged. The WindRunner is intended to mitigate these problems by carrying oversized assets in assembled form, allowing immediate operational use upon arrival.
Radia has previously cited specific examples to demonstrate the aircraft’s potential roles. The WindRunner could transport six CH-47 Chinook helicopters fully assembled, while a C-17 can only carry one after disassembly. It could also carry four CV-22 Ospreys to forward areas, four F-16 or F-35C fighter aircraft without requiring aerial refueling, and up to twelve Apache helicopters in a single sortie, compared to two on a C-17. Radia highlights support to space operations as well, including the ability to move rocket boosters in hours rather than days and to recover landed rocket cargo vehicles for reuse. By transporting systems intact, the aircraft is designed to reduce total flight hours, operational complexity, and exposure to disruption or attack.
The WindRunner’s operational requirements include the ability to operate from approximately 1,800-meter unpaved runways, which allows access to distributed, austere, or storm-damaged locations that conventional outsized aircraft cannot use. Radia presents this as a factor making the design suitable for combat sustainment in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, for Arctic operations, and for humanitarian and disaster response scenarios. The aircraft is fully compatible with standard ground-handling equipment, removing the need for specialized infrastructure, and the company describes this as consistent with expeditionary logistics strategies that favor dispersed basing and reduced dependency on large prepared airfields. Radia presented the defense configuration at booth 746 during the conference to reach military and government stakeholders.
The technical specifications of the ‘normal’ WindRunner are more than notable, at 108 meters in length, 80 meters in wingspan, and 24 meters in height, with a planned cruise speed of Mach 0.6, approximately 740 kilometers per hour. The maximum payload is around 72,575 kilograms, which is lower than historic heavy lifters such as the Antonov An-225 Mriya at 247,000 kilograms, the An-124 at 150,000 kilograms, or the C-5 Galaxy at 129,274 kilograms. However, the cargo bay volume is larger than any existing aircraft, with earlier materials citing up to 7,702 cubic meters in the civil configuration. The WindRunner’s maximum payload range is 2,000 kilometers, which is shorter than aircraft such as the Airbus A330 MRTT, the Kawasaki C-2, the Xi’an Y-20, or the A400M, but the design emphasizes volume over long-range capability. Engine placement is described as reducing the risk of foreign object damage on semi-prepared strips. Runway length requirements of 1,800 meters are shorter than those of the An-124 and An-225, and competitive with other large transports depending on conditions.
Radia states that the aircraft will use certified and proven components, with a development plan that seeks to achieve first flight by the end of the decade and initial operations around 2030. The engine type has not yet been publicly named, but is said to be an existing certified model under integration. The company plans to use digital design tools to reduce development time and proceed directly to several full-scale test aircraft rather than traditional prototype stages. Funding raised so far has been approximately $150 million, and further investment is being discussed with governments and private sources. Industry analysts have raised concerns about technical and business risks, including the short range compared to other transports, competition from possible hybrid airships, and discussions about restarting C-17 production. Radia maintains that there is demand for multiple solutions given the absence of large airlifters in current production.
Engagement with defense stakeholders has already taken place. In May 2025, Radia signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the U.S. Transportation Command to study outsized cargo applications, and a House Armed Services Committee markup commended this work while noting the Department of Defense lacks an airlift capability for cargo exceeding 300 feet in length. NATO countries within the Strategic Airlift International Solution program have also expressed interest. Radia outlines several potential business models, including government-owned and contractor-operated or fully contractor-owned arrangements.
Military-specific features such as aerial refueling could be added later, but the priority is to field the aircraft by 2030 to meet identified requirements. The WindRunner began as a civil project intended to transport wind turbine blades over 100 meters long for Radia’s GigaWind initiative. The destruction of the An-225 in 2022, the end of production for other large transports, and historical reliance on disassembly for air movement of fighters such as F-16s are cited as reinforcing the relevance of this program. Radia continues to describe WindRunner as a dual-use platform suitable for defense, energy, aerospace, and emergency response applications.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
