Design and Assessment of Strategic Airlifters for Rapid Deployment

Abstract

Strategic airlift is an essential capability for the rapid global movement of cargo, particularly in crisis operations where timelines are short and cargo demands extreme. Despite the European Union's collective purchase of A400M aircraft, capability gaps remain due to the aircraft's limited ability to airlift heavy and outsized equipment. This study applies Knowledge-Based Engineering aircraft design tools in conjunction with Agent-Based Simulation techniques to evaluate a fleet's ability to move cargo rapidly across strategic distances in high-stakes operational scenarios. One focus of the study is on the often-overlooked constraint of cargo hold volume and its effects on a fleet's ability to transport cargo. The study found that this volume constraint can reduce airlift capacity by roughly 20% in scenarios with medium-density cargo. Further, through design space exploration, this study identifies key top-level aircraft requirements for a new airlifter to work effectively in the European fleet of airlifters. Analysis reveals that a next-generation aircraft requires a wide fuselage capable of double-file loading, an extended fuselage length of 39m, an increased payload capacity of 120 tons, and a cruise speed of Mach 0.8. Such a design could enhance the fleet performance and reduce fleet requirements by roughly 30%.