China plans to develop transport aircraft to rival US military planes
Photo: China developing a new model of transport aircraft (Barong369/X)
China’s aerospace industry has unveiled a new concept for a heavy transport aircraft that could significantly expand the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) global logistics and power projection capabilities.
According to Interesting Engineering, the design aims to rival the US Air Force’s C-5M Galaxy and Ukraine’s Antonov An-124 Ruslan in both payload capacity and range.
A radical difference between the new aircraft and existing designs is its blended wing body, where the fuselage and wings merge into a single aerodynamic surface, improving efficiency, reducing drag, and increasing cargo volume.
According to preliminary specifications, the aircraft is designed to carry up to 120 tons of payload, with a maximum takeoff weight of around 470 tons and a range of 6,500 kilometers (about 4,000 miles) when fully loaded.
It will reportedly cruise at Mach 0.85, comparable to the US C-5 Galaxy and Ukraine’s An-124 Ruslan. Researchers say the goal is to develop a next-generation strategic airlifter capable of conducting intercontinental missions without refueling.
A heavy-lift transport aircraft of this scale would allow China to rapidly deploy armored vehicles, missile systems, or mechanized infantry across the Indo-Pacific, and potentially beyond.
US–China relations
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon plans to double missile production in preparation for a potential conflict with China, pushing defense contractors to expand manufacturing capacity and modernize supply chains.
The outlet also noted that Chinese leader Xi Jinping may seek to pressure US President Donald Trump into opposing Taiwan’s independence in exchange for a long-sought trade agreement between the two countries. Sources told WSJ that Xi believes such a deal could be struck on favorable terms.
