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The biggest military plane in the world

It's so massive the wingspan is double a 737's.

Published on Apr 27, 2022 at 11:08AM (UTC+4)

Last updated on May 12, 2022 at 3:39PM (UTC+4)

Edited by Kate Bain
An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft loaded with Australian Government-donated Bushmaster Protected Mobility vehicles bound for Ukraine departs RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.

The Antonov An-124 is so massive it makes a regular Boeing 737 look like an RC plane.

The AN-124 Ruslan‘s 239-feet wingspan is more than double the puny passenger jet’s (117 feet).

So if you need to send some heavy-duty military equipment, the An-124 (which NATO calls the Condor) is the work-horse for it.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen owns one of the most badass private jets in Formula 1

An Australian Government-donated Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle is loaded onto an Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft arrives at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft arrives at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
An Australian Government-donated Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle is loaded onto an Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft loaded with Australian Government-donated Bushmaster Protected Mobility vehicles bound for Ukraine departs RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
A Royal Australian Air Force air movements operator from No. 23 Squadron marshals an Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft after it landed at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
An Antonov An-124 being built in a hangar.
An an-124 being loaded with another plane.
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
Australian military assistance to Ukraine
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Australian military assistance to Ukraine
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But it’s incredibly rare, only 26 are currently capable of flying.

The latest sighting of the largest military plane in service was in Australia just this week.

Specs for the Antonov An-124

  • Cost – $50 million – 100 million
  • Wingspan – 240 feet
  • Length – 226 feet
  • Height – 68 feet
  • Cruise speed – 535mph
  • Operational range – 9,755 miles
  • Can carry 150 tons of cargo
  • World’s largest production transport airplane

How the Antonov An-124 compares to the biggest plane in the world

As we mentioned earlier, compared to a 737 it’s a giant.

But what about comparing it to what’s known as the biggest plane ever, the Antonov An-225.

The An-225 wins most metrics when we are talking about big planes, it has a wingspan is 290 feet and it’s the heaviest aircraft ever built.

The An-225 was actually a design based on the An-124 that they just made… bigger.

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