Comparison of C-17 VS C-130: The Two Large Cargo Aircraft

For our readers today we have decided to make a comparison between two of the world’s largest cargo aircraft. Both of these excel in their primary goals but still, each of them differs in every aspect by a great margin. So without further wait, we bring to you a comparison of C-17 VS C-130: the two Large Cargo Aircraft.

History:-

C-17 Globemaster III:

The C-17 Globemaster III is the youngest of both aircraft as first of it was delivered back in 1991 to USAF for active service. It was operationally ready for service back in 1995. USAF ordered the production of nearly 223 of these C-17s from the aircraft manufacturer Boeing. The active-duty locations for C-17 Globemaster III are as follows.

Travis AFB, 312 `6California
Dover AFB, Delaware
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey

C-130 Hercules:

As for its rival C-130 Hercules, it entered the service back in 1956 which is 40 years prior to the C-17. Many variants of C-130 were created and many of them do not exist these days. USAF ordered the production of nearly 219 of the C-130 variants named C-130A and the C-130B back in 1956. However, by 1962, USAF was compelled to order a batch of nearly 300 of the newly designed Lockheed martin’s C-130E.

As for the active-duty locations for C-130 Hercules and its other variants are as follows.

Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Yokota AB, Japan

Size:-

The best way to define C-17 in comparison to C-1309 was bigger and better. The size of the C-17 Globemaster III is measured to be 174 feet in length, 55 feet in height and a wingspan of nearly 169 feet and 10 inches.

The variants of the C-130 which are still active nowadays are the C-130E, C-130H, and C-130J. The size of all these variants is nearly the same with the length being 97 feet and 9 inches, height being 38 feet and 10 inches and a wingspan of nearly 132 feet and 7 inches.

Despite their humongous sizes, both C-17 and C-130 do not hold a candle in front of the C-5 Super Galaxy which is the largest cargo transport aircraft serving the US army.

Crew members:-

As far as the number of crew members needed to operate both the C-17 and C-130; they require the same amount of personnel. The C-17 Globemaster III is operated by 3 crewmembers with 1beingt he pilot, the 2^nd being the co-pilot and third, being the loadmaster. As for the mission for medical evac, the crew members are increased by 5 persons with 2 being the flight nurses and three of them being the medical technicians. The number of medical crew can be changed depending on the medical mission requirements.

As for the most active variant of C-130, the C-130E, it is operated by a crew of 5 personals. 2 of them are pilots, 1 is a navigator, 1 is a flight engineer and the last one being a loadmaster. As for the other two variants; C-130H and C-130J, they only need to be operated by 3 crewmembers. In the case of Medical Evac missions, the crewmembers are increased by 5 personnel in all three variants.

Payload:-

The primary mission role of both these aircraft is clear which is to lift lots of heavy stuff in the form of both personals and stuff. The C-17 was designed with the need to transport tanks and is capable of easily transporting 1 M1 Abrams Battle tanks along with other tactical vehicles and a wide range of troops. The maximum payload carrying capacity of the C-17 is about 172000 pounds and has a maximum takeoff weight limit of 585000 pounds.

As for the C-130, which was the pinnacle of the weight carrying aircraft back in the 50s, it is not able to carry that much weight. Each variant of the C-130 is able to have a payload capacity for about 43000 pounds with a take-off capacity of 155000 pounds.

Engines:-

The C-17 is powered by 4 of the Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines whose design is based on the Pratt and Whitney PW2040 commercial engine which is used to power the Boeing 757. Each of these 4 engines is capable of producing a thrust of 40440 pounds with the ability to create reverse thrusts as well. These reverse thrusts are amazing as they propel the flow of air in upward direction thus avoiding the debris and dust to be ingested by the engines. Thee reverse thrusts are also able to create enough drag force for the aircraft during its descent.

As for the C-130, it is powered by 4 of the Allison T56-A-11 or -9 turboprop engines which are based on the same powerplants that were used in the earliest model named C-130A. The C-130E used the Allison T56-A-7 turboprop engines but the Lockheed added in two external fuel tanks with an increased capacity of 1290 gallons to increase aircraft’s maximum take-off weight carrying capacity. As for the newer variant of C-130; the C-130H, it was fitted with Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines. As for the last variant C-130J, it had been fitted with Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 turboprop engine that increased its overall performance when compared with all previous variants.

Mission:-

The primary mission for the C-17 is to deliver both cargo and troops in a strategic manner to all of the US’s operational bases and is known for being the most flexible cargo aircraft to be in the duty of USAF. The aircraft is best renowned for its tactical airlifting and airdropping missions. It also has the ability to transport a large number of ambulatory patients in case of medical evac missions.

As for the C-130, its mission focus lies in tactical airlifting and can operate from dirt strips to transport both cargo and troops in hostile areas. It also serves many of the following other mission roles as well.

airlift support
Antarctic ice resupply
Aeromedical missions
weather reconnaissance
aerial spraying
firefighting duties for the U.S. Forest Service and natural disaster

C 17 globemaster size comparison

Size:-

As for both of these aircraft, they are different due to the fact that they have been designed in order to fulfill the requirements of their specific missions. The C-17 can take off from a shorter runway and fly further when compared to the C-130.

The C-17 Globemaster III is larger than the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, with longer wingspan and cargo box length, but has shorter fuselage (by 5 ft 8 in or 1.7 m) and is shorter in height. The C-17 can accommodate a maximum of 132 troops versus the C-130’s 72 passengers.[

The dimensions of the cargo compartment are as follows :

C 17 Globemaster III Length: 174 ft 5 in (53.4 m)

C 130 Hercules Length: 131 ft 7 in (40.4 m)

C 17 Globemaster III Width: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)

C 130 Hercules Width: 15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)

The C-17 is also able to carry larger loads than the C-130 while both aircraft are fitted with the same powerplants and model of engines.

The C-17 is able to carry a payload of 165000 pounds while the C-130H is able to carry 43000 pounds. This means that C-130 can only carry about 25% of what a C-17 can be able to carry with just a maximum take off weight.

Air Force

C-17 Globebaster and C 130 Hercules are operated by the following Airforces :

United States Air Force

Royal Australian Airforce

Indian Air Force

Pakistan Air Force

India has purchased six C-130Js which are based at Hindan Air Force Station. They will replace the Antonov AN 32 fleet of the IAF.

Also, Pacific Air Forces

operates C-17s from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Active-duty locations for the C-130 and its variations are Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Little Rock AFB, Arkansas; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and Yokota AB, Japan.

Most Flexible Cargo Aircraft

The primary mission for the C-17 is to deliver both cargo and troops in a strategic manner to all of the US’s operational bases and is known for being the most flexible cargo aircraft to be in the duty of USAF. The aircraft is best renowned for its tactical airlifting and airdropping missions. It also has the ability to transport a large number of ambulatory patients in case of medical evac missions. As for the C-130, its mission focus lies in tactical airlifting and can operate from dirt strips to transport both cargo and troops in hostile areas.

FAQ

Some questions Asked by our readers and we summarise them as follows:

How big is a C-17 Globemaster?

C-17A: Wing span, 60.6m; length, 63.8m; height to top of tail fin, 18.8m

C-17B: Wing span, 60.6m; length, 64.8m; height to top of tail fin, 18.8m

How many engines does the C-17 Globemaster have?

Three (Pratt & Whitney F117-P-100) turbofan engines

How much does a C17 Globemaster weigh?

Empty weight, 102,900kg; Max. takeoff weight, 266,000kg.

How many aircrew does a C17 Globemaster require?

Two pilots and one loadmaster.

Which is larger C-5a vs C-17?

The C-5a has a cargo hold that is 38.0 ft long by 13.4 ft wide, and a height of 13.4 ft, whereas the C-17 cargo hold is 175 ft long by 18.5 ft wide and 14.6 ft high.

C-5A () is a large military transport aircraft originally designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargoes, including all air-certifiable cargo. The C-5 is among the largest military aircraft in the world. The C-5 Galaxy was unofficially named the SuperGalaxy and SuperGuppy by its crews, referring to its size and weight, respectively. The C-5 Galaxy has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1969.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. It was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two previous piston-engined military cargo aircraft, the Douglas C-74 Globemaster and the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. The C-17 commonly performs tactical and strategic missions, transporting troops and cargo throughout the world; additional roles include medical evacuation and airdrop duties. It was designed to replace the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and also fulfill some of the duties of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, freeing the C-5 fleet for outsize cargo.

Is C-17 bigger than A380?

Yes, C-17 is bigger than A380.

A C-17 Globemaster III airlifter is 228 feet long with a wingspan of about 170 feet. An Airbus A380 airliner is 261.5 feet long with a wingspan of about 239 feet. C-17 is bigger than A380 in terms of length & wingspan.

A C-17 Globemaster III airlifter has a maximum takeoff weight of 585,000 pounds while an Airbus A380 airliner has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,322,000 pounds. C-17 is heavier than A380 in terms of maximum takeoff weight.

The comparison between Airbus A380 and Boeing C-17 airplane dimensions may also interest you.

The fact that most parts of the plane are fuselage give us enough reason to believe that there must be some connection between the A380 and C-17.

Another similarity might be that they both have a pair of landing wheels under each wing.

While there are many connections between Airbus A380 and Boeing C-17 airplane, we can still say that they are two different aircraft with their own unique features.

C-17 Globemaster III vs Airbus A380 full-size airplane comparison details may also be of interest to you.

So, if you are looking for a plane with a bigger wingspan & maximum takeoff weight or one that is longer than the other, then C-17 is the right choice. In this case, it’s bigger than Airbus A380.

If you are looking for a plane with longer fuselage or one that is heavier, then Airbus A380 is the right choice. In this case, it’s bigger than C-17.

Which is bigger IL 76 or C-17?

An Il-76 heavy transport aircraft is 226 feet long with a wingspan of about 165 feet. A C-17 Globemaster III airlifter is 228 feet long with a wingspan of about 170 feet. IL 76 is smaller than C-17 in terms of length & wingspan.

An Il-76 heavy transport aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 374,000 pounds while a C-17 Globemaster III airlifter has a maximum takeoff weight of 585,000 pounds. IL 76 is lighter than C-17 in terms of maximum takeoff weight.

The comparison between Ilyushin Il-76 and Boeing C-17 airplane dimensions may also interest you.

The fact that most parts of the plane are fuselage give us enough reason to believe that there must be some connection between the Il-76 and C-17.

Another similarity might be that they both have a pair of landing wheels under each wing.

While there are many connections between Ilyushin Il-76 and Boeing C-17 airplane, we can still say that they are two different aircraft with their own unique features.

***

Is C5 bigger than C130 ?

Is C5 bigger than C130? You’ve heard it before. The answer is yes, but it depends on which C5 you’re talking about. To be more precise, the C5 is a series of aircraft with a diverse physical design, from small models to the largest commercial cargo plane in the world. This broad range makes answering the question about the size of C5 vs. C130 a little tricky, so we’ve created an infographic to help you visualize it.

The first model of the C5 was developed in 1968 for use by the United States Air Force as a strategic military airlift carrier for rapid global deployment and is considered smaller than the latter models in its series. The C5-A is a four-engine, high-wing airplane with a cargo compartment that can hold up to 125 tons. It has a range of 2,400 nautical miles and an average speed of 382 mph.

In contrast, the latest model of the C5 series from 2015 is much larger than its predecessor. It is a four-engine, high-wing airplane with a cargo compartment that can hold up to 154 tons. It has a range of 4,080 nautical miles and an average speed of 420 mph.

The C5 Galaxy is the largest aircraft in its series while the C130 Hercules is considered the smallest among its counterparts. The C130 is a four-engine turboprop airplane with a cargo compartment that can hold up to 20 tons. It has a range of 1,300 nautical miles and an average speed of 302 mph.

The C5 is larger than the Hercules in terms of physical dimensions but it depends on which C5 you’re talking about. The C5 is a series of aircraft with a diverse physical design, from small models to the largest commercial cargo plane in the world. This broad range makes answering the question about the size of C5 vs. C130 a little tricky, so we’ve created an infographic to help you visualize it.

Can you buy an AC 130 ? I

Price of a C130 is around $30 Million

Can you buy an AC 130 ? II

AC-130 ground attack aircraft is a highly modified C-130H Hercules cargo plane. The AC-130H/U gunship’s primary missions are close air support , air interdiction and force protection. Some of the weapons used on the gunships include 40 mm and 105 mm cannons.

The AC-130H/U is armed with a 25mm GAU-12 Equalizer cannon, a 40 mm Bofors L/60 cannon, and a 105 mm M102 howitzer.

The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack aircraft variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, and Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support.

– Primary Armaments: 25mm GAU-12/U Equalizer Cannon, 40mm Bofors L/60 auto cannon, 105mm M102 howitzer

– Secondary Armaments: Two 12.7mm MG, Four 7.62mm miniguns

– Max speed: 368 mph (Mach 0.51)

– Max altitude: 25,000 ft

– Max Range: 1,000 NM

– Crew: AC-130A/E/H flight crew & AC-130U Combat Talon II Cockpit crew of 13

– Cost: $190 million

The AC 130 costs around $200 million

***

What is the difference between KC-130 and C-130?

KC-130 is the aircraft, while C-130 is the aircraft’s designation. The designation system for military planes was created by the Joint Munitions Assignment Council.

The first two characters of the designation code for a plane is the type and manufacturer. The third and fourth digits designate the specific type, while the fifth character designates a unique version of that plane.

KC-130 is the designation for the aircraft’s Lockheed-Martin KC-130 variant.

C-130 is the designation code for all variants of Lockheed Martin’s C-130 aircraft. The four main variants are the C-130A, C-130B, C-130E and the new J/KC/M models.

Is there a plane bigger than the C-5 Galaxy?

Yes, the Airbus A380 has a greater wingspan and cargo capacity than the C-5 Galaxy. The Airbus A380 is 72 meters long with a wingspan of 79 meters. The Airbus A380 has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,322,500 pounds.

By comparison, the C-5 Galaxy is 73.3 meters long and has a wingspan of nearly 88 meters. The C-5 has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,200,000 pounds.

The Airbus A380 is currently the world’s largest commercial airliner. It was first flown in 2005 and is used by air carriers such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates.

The C-5 Galaxy is currently the largest military transport in operation in the world. It is used primarily by the United States Air Force and has been in service since 1969.

Tags: Air Force, army’s air transportable equipment, maximum gross takeoff weight, medical crew, armored vehicles, cargo floor, create in flight drag, Air refueling, maximum payload capacity, aeromedical evacuation crew, flight nurses, air upward, accommodate palletized cargo, large aft ramp, initial cruise altitude, service ceiling, additional aircraft, medical technicians, flat floor, basic crew, thrust reversers, south carolina, tactical airlift, thrust reversers, joint base lewis mcchord, joint base charleston, first flight, cruise speed, tracked vehicles, maximum rate descents, co pilot, other aircraft, accompanying equipment, strategic airlifter, transport litters, airdrop missions, austere airfields, includes thrust reversers, taxing backwards, deployment area, ac 130 size comparison, c5 c17 c130, c17 vs c5 size, c5 galaxy vs c17 vs c130, Altus AFB