History: Strategic airlift

Strategic airlift involves the use of military transport aircraft to transport weapons, military personnel and various other goods used by the military over long distances, usually far away from the originating airbase.

The use of strategic airlift allows the rapid movement o military assets into combat theater and out of the combat theater even if this is practically on the other side of the planet. There are only a handful of models of military transport aircraft that can fill this role and because of this they are called strategic airlifters. The main difference between strategic airlifters and tactical airlifters is that the tactical airlifters are usually used to move military supplies within a given theater of operations.

Strategic airlifters

Some examples of strategic airlifters:

Antonov An-124 Ruslan
Antonov An-225 Mriya
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
Ilyushin Il-76 Candid
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter (retired)
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
Shorts Belfast (retired)
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation Y-20

The above list is not exhaustive and it also includes aircraft models that have been withdrawn from use.

Limitations

Even though strategic airlifters can move impressive loads with the present capabilities its not possible to move mechanised force (tanks), at least not in substantial numbers. This limitation resulted in the development of light armored vehicles which are easier to transport via air.