C-17, Il-76 and Y-20 equals: an aviation moment in the skies over China
China has been the backdrop for a rare aviation moment in the past few days, with the world’s three core strategic heavy-lifting aircraft operating within the country. Several large US military transport aircraft were spotted landing in Shenzhen over the weekend, widely seen as preparation for US President Donald Trump’s expected trip to the southern Chinese city for the Asia-Pacific Economic…
In recent days, China has witnessed a rare aviation spectacle featuring the world's three leading strategic heavy-lifting aircraft. The United States, Russia, and China each operate a specialized transport plane capable of moving massive amounts of cargo.
Over the weekend, US Air Force C-17 heavy lifters were seen landing in Shenzhen, a Southern Chinese city. This deployment is believed to be in preparation for an upcoming visit by US President Donald Trump to the city for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The C-17s, which originated from Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, are known for airlifting support equipment and motorcade vehicles for high-profile officials.
On Monday, a Russian-made Il-76 transport plane made a rare public appearance at a firefighting drill in Chongqing, a southwestern Chinese city. The Il-76, a workhorse of the Russian military for over a decade, has recently been replaced by China's own Y-20 Kunpeng. The Y-20, a strategic airlifter, has been in military service since 2016 and has been expanding its roles beyond just troop and equipment transport.
Recently, China has also begun using the Y-20 for aerial refueling missions, showcasing its versatility as a military aircraft platform.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
