Why does the C-5 galaxy remain necessary for military transport in 2025

The C-5M strategic transport plane, a strategic transport plane, is the largest air plane run it American Air Force

. Its mission is to transfer individuals and goods to the American armed forces worldwide. The 34,000 -foot goods can absorb approximately six helicopters or a major battle tank.

A transfer condition that could transfer all the equipment required for the US Army Department in the middle of the road around the world has created the C-5 galaxy. Specifically, the need to transport the M60 tank, no aircraft in a USAF can carry out in 1965.

“[The C-5] It symbolizes the size, power, power and power of the American Air Force. Air Force historian said John Liland To popular mechanics in 2023.

The C-5M is a 247-foot plane, and it is 12 feet long from the Airbus A380 Superjumbo Civilian Jetliner, and has a wings of 222 feet, with one wing on an equal football length of the basketball field. It stands 65 feet long, and it is high like a six and a half -floor building. C-5 may not fit into many aircraft sheds, so the air force cuts holes in the barn doors to pick up the whale’s tail to come out.

Vietnam’s struggle clarified how much it is urgently building the ability to deploy American forces and weapons abroad. The Ministry of Defense (DOD) has called for a huge military airline capable of transporting heavy tanks and helicopters and any other type of battle equipment anywhere on this planet.

Unprecedented ambition

In 1965, Lockheed

Virtue appeared in the competition to design and build an excessive car. The criteria were scary. The transport had to weigh more than twice as much as the Lockheed military transport plane, C-141. In 1970, Lockheed faced the challenge by connecting the first aircraft to the US Air Force.

With a five-time charging room than C-141, it was one of the largest military aircraft in the world. It can be absorbed Xinoc

A helicopter or four light tanks. In a unique step, the nose part slipped from the C-5, allowing two rows of cars to pass directly across the plane.

Since it contains charging stairs on both the front and the back, the C-5 can download and empty the charging with exceptional speed. It contains a “bowing” gear system that allows to reduce parked aircraft to facilitate the loading of the driving vehicle and the control of the charging floor to the standard truck. Five of a 28-wheel-sized landing gear is distributed by C-5, with a wing of 25 degrees, and its distinctive high tail is part of the aerodynamics, which has been improved for high air speed.

The plane was deployed in Vietnam immediately after its operating certificates. C-5 She soon proved itself as a vital element in the war effort because of its ability to provide nearly 98 % of the army arsenal. Since then, he has served in every American military campaign, from open conflicts and peacekeeping missions to humanitarian relief efforts. The British -led peacekeeping efforts in Zimbabwe helped in 1979 and transfer aid to the war -torn Rwanda in 1994.

Super Galaxy

The basic concept is well done as Lockheed continued to reinforce C-5 and increase its dependence on it. The latest main upgrade program was completed in 2018 and included engine alternatives, landing equipment, and structural modifications, among other things. After the changes, the G-5M SUPER GALAXY.

The super galaxy broke out 89 records (More than any plane in history!) It reached a height of about 4,1100 feet in less than 24 minutes with a load of 176,610 pounds.

Perhaps the most influential upgrade was the transition from General Electric

(Ge) TF-39 engines to GE aerospace

CF6-80C2-L1F (F-138) commercial engines. This upgrade provides a 22 % increase in payment, a 30 % shorter boot fabric, and a 58 % faster climbing rate, allowing more goods to be transported at longer distances.

The new engine “Very common … in [airline] industry,” Major General Mark A. Voltsif, Operations Director of AMC, in 2004. “A firm and rich record” Commercially on Boeing 767

S is used on Air Force One, KC-10 and E-4B.

The modified C-5A/B/CS galaxies have become C-5M, making the fleet quieter, enhancing reliability, maintenance ability, and operational capacity. Future updates will include advanced weather radar and computing in the task, communications systems and air traffic management.

Farid, warehouse with wings

In addition to the presence of a passion for shortcuts, the US military has never faced a problem with an unpleasant language. Farid, or the ridiculous economic disaster (and/or environmental), was the title of C-5 due to the widespread and well-reported budget excesses.

The project was almost bankrupt because of its huge size and the complex development course. This was the first military aircraft program to bear exceeding one billion dollars of initial expectations and approval. The cost of the C-5B final unit production cost 167.7 million dollars ($ 372 million per plane in 2025 dollars). While it is still under development, news organizations targeted the program as an example of reckless and unnecessary defensive spending.

The “Warehouse” or “charging box” of the plane is 143.75 feet, 13.5 feet, and 19 feet wide. Although the M1A2 ABRAMS tank is only 50 % heavier than the C-5 charging weight, the huge plane is able to carry two of them if necessary. Instead, C-5 can transport six combat compounds from the M2 Bradley, six UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, or 350 passengers along with supplies.

The bottom line

Amc do not plan to give up the C-5 fleet anytime, as the huge plane can be upgraded for about $ 75 million each, compared to $ 204 million to buy the new C-17. A large part of the Galaxy fleet still has about 80 % of the remaining design life.

Amc cannot replace it either, even if it wants it. Some of the huge equipment and increase in size that the US military sometimes requires, such as bridges of scissors and assault boats (or helicopters and superb gathered), which can all be raised only by C-5.

Nowadays, the Air Force maintains a 52 C-5B, C and M and M, stationed at the Dover Air Force base in Dilayer, Travis AFB in California, AFB AFB in Texas, and the Westover Air Reserve base in Massachusetts. The latest alternative to the original G-5 Galaxy is the C-5M manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

According to Air and space forcesGeneral John W. Handy, the commander of the US Transport Command (Transcom) and the Air Transport Command (AMC), said in 2004:

“In this last conflict,” There was “Several times when, frankly, the only way to separate” Air benefits have been supported waiting for a plane in USAF rules all over the world “To get C-5 there in sufficient numbers … and literally, at the weekend, … clean everyone [the] Air ports. “

Moreover, with C-5s, C-17S, KC-10S and KC-135S and about 70 C-141 are still in the strategic air transport mix “Well in the future,” Handy said“We will not face one plane fleet for a long and long.”

In numbers

The C-5 Galaxy, designed in the 1960s to replace the C-1333 Cargomaster and complete the smaller C-141 stars, was a difficult design period. The fractures of the plane were prevented from deploying them until 1970.

Lockheed-Eugegia delivered the first C-5A Air Pavilion in 1970. C-5B included more than 100 system modifications to improve reliability and maintenance.

In 1989, two modified satellite shipments (SCM) C-5CS were delivered, allowing the plane to carry a large charging container in space shuttle. In 1998, Command Air Mobility began an aggressive program to update C-5S, including airline electronics upgrade, navigation, monitoring, air traffic management systems, adding new safety equipment, and installing a new autopilot system.

The size of the C-5 consisting of 36 standard platforms and 265,000 pounds of goods is twice the size of the newer C-17. that it “Amazing ability”, “ General Handy said. He added, “We definitely need to keep it [it] In our fingers as much as I can see in the future. “

With the latest airline and flight tools, the latest C-5m Super Galaxy It is expected to continue working until 2040.

• The basic function: Transport optical goods
• Electricity Station: Four engines F-138-EGE100 General Electric
• Payment: 51,250 pounds per engine (23247 kg)
• Wingspan: 222 feet 9 inches (67.89 meters)
• length: 247 feet 10 inches (75.3 meters)
• to rise: 65 feet 1 inches (19.84 meters)
• Humle shipping cabin: 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 meters)
• Shipping cabin offer: 19 feet (5.79 meters)
• The length of the cargo cabin: 143 feet 9 inches (43.8 meters)
• Pallications: 36
• Maximum goods: 281,001 pounds (127460 kg)
• The maximum boot weight: 840,000 pounds (381,024 kg)
• speed: 518 miles per hour (834 km/h)
• Range (unprecedented): Nearly 5524 miles (4,800 nm) with 120,000 pounds (54431 kg) of goods
• Staff composition: Pilot, co -pilot, flight engineers, three managers download