China unveils new strategic transport aircraft

The first images of the X'ian Aircraft Corporation's (XAC's) long-expected Y-20 large transport aircraft appeared on 24 December, marking a critical milestone in the nearly 20-year programme to develop an indigenous strategic transport aircraft for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

According to Chinese reports, these early images of an early taxi test were taken at the Yanliang test airfield near the XAC plant on 21 December.

These early images confirm longstanding expectations that the Y-20 would be a large wide-body, four-turbofan engine-powered, high-wing and high T-tail configured military transport, with design influences from the Ilyushin Il-76 'Candid' and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

The Y-20 uses a wing-fuselage interface similar to that used by the Il-76, producing a pronounced hump atop the forward fuselage, while its wide body, empennage, and T-tail are similar to the C-17. As such, it appears that the Y-20 will be wide enough to accommodate most large PLA combat and support vehicles.

In early 2007, Ukrainian sources told IHS Jane's that Antonov had offered a turbofan-powered development of its An-70 turboprop transport to fulfil China's requirement, and that Antonov had been a consultant on some aspects of the new transport's design.