Reference photo · Configuration may differ
Credit
U.S. Air Force · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified
FORCETALLY
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At a glance
Measured figures
C-17A · Length
Single source174 ft (53 m)[source]
Y-20B · Length
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | Xi'an Y-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Strategic and tactical airlifter[source] | Strategic airlifter[source] |
| National origin | United States[source] | China[source] |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas / Boeing[source] | Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation[source] |
| Status | In service[source] | In service, in production |
47 m (154 ft 2 in)[source]
C-17A · with 157,000 lb (71,214 kg) payload
Single sourceFerry; C-17A · Ferry range
Single source2,420 nmi (2,780 mi, 4,480 km) with 157,000 lb (71,214 kg) payload[source]
6,230 nmi (7,170 mi, 11,540 km)[source]
Ferry; Y-20B · with 16.5 tons of freight
Single sourceY-20B · with 2 Type 15 tanks
Single sourceC-17A · 4 × Pratt & Whitney PW2000 turbofan engines thrust each (U.S. military designation: F117-PW-100)
Single source4 × Pratt & Whitney PW2000 turbofan engines, 40,440 lbf (179.9 kN) thrust each (U.S. military designation: F117-PW-100)[source]
Y-20B · 4 × Shenyang WS-20 turbofan engines thrust each
Single source4 × Shenyang WS-20 turbofan engines, 140 kN (31,000 lbf) thrust each[source]
C-17A · Wing area
Single source3,800 sq ft (350 m 2 )[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Primary users | United States Air Force Indian Air Force Royal Air Force Royal Australian Air Force[source] | — |
|---|
| Number built | 279[source] | 100 as of 2026[source] |
|---|
| Manufactured | 1991–2015[source] | 2013–present[source] |
|---|
| Introduction date | 17 January 1995[source] | 6 July 2016[source] |
|---|
| First flight | 15 September 1991[source] | 26 January 2013[source] |
|---|
| Developed from | McDonnell Douglas YC-15[source] | — |
|---|
| Capacity | 170,900 lb (77,519 kg) of cargo distributed at max over 18 463L master pallets or a mix of palletized cargo and vehicles 102 paratroopers or 134 troops with palletized and sidewall seats or 54 troops with sidewall seats (allows 13 cargo pallets) only or 36 litter and 54 ambulatory patients and medical attendants or Cargo, such as one M1 Abrams tank, two Bradley armored vehicles, or three Stryker armored vehicles[source] | 66,000 kg (145,505 lb)[source] |
|---|
| Fuel capacity | 35,546 US gal (29,598 imp gal; 134,560 L)[source] | — |
|---|
| Aspect ratio | 7.165[source] | — |
|---|
| Airfoil | root: DLBA 142; tip: DLBA 147[source] | — |
|---|
| Wing loading | 150 lb/sq ft (730 kg/m 2 )[source] | 710 kg/m 2 (150 lb/sq ft)[source] |
|---|
| Thrust/weight | 0.277 (minimum)[source] | — |
|---|
| Takeoff run | at MTOW: 8,200 ft (2,499 m)[source] | — |
|---|
| Landing distance | 3,500 ft (1,067 m)[source] | — |
|---|
| Designer | — | Tang Changhong[source] |
|---|
| Primary user | — | People's Liberation Army Air Force[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators | — |
|---|