Where Are The World's Largest Military Transport Aircraft Right Now?
With the An-225 destroyed, the An-124 is the largest military transport flying. Here is where the world's biggest airlifters are based.
By Brandon ShawZimbabwe

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The Antonov An-225 was the largest aircraft ever built, and it was destroyed at Hostomel Airport in February 2022. That leaves its smaller sibling, the An-124 Ruslan, as the largest military transport aircraft in service, followed by the Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy, the Xi'an Y-20, and the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. Between them, these aircraft move tanks, helicopters, satellites, and disaster relief supplies between continents, and a surprising number of them are sitting idle because of sanctions.
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About this article
- Length
- 77 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 10, 2026
- Byline
- Brandon Shaw
- Source
- Simple Flying