Radia has unveiled its new WindRunner for Defense, a large air cargo platform designed to transport fully assembled, oversized systems directly into forward and infrastructure-limited locations.
According to Radia, the WindRunner focuses on volume over weight, making it possible to deliver mission-ready assets without the delays of disassembly and reassembly. The company stated that the aircraft is intended to strengthen U.S. and allied forces by enhancing Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and providing new strategic mobility options.
Mark Lundstrom, Radia’s founder and CEO, highlighted that “mobility buys time and space for the force.” He explained that WindRunner is built to carry complete systems such as radars, tiltrotors, helicopters, hospitals, and other outsized equipment to austere airfields.
Key Capabilities of WindRunner
Radia emphasized several features of the new aircraft:
- Enormous internal space: Over 6,800 cubic meters of usable volume, which the company says is about seven times that of a C-5 and twelve times a C-17.
- Transport of full systems: Capable of carrying six CH-47 Chinooks, four CV-22 Ospreys, or even four F-16s or F-35Cs, fully assembled. It can also deliver twelve Apache helicopters in one trip, compared to two using a C-17.
- Support for space operations: Able to rapidly move large boosters within hours and recover landed rocket cargo vehicles for reuse.
- Operational flexibility: Designed for runways as short as roughly 1,800 meters, including unpaved strips.
- Standard ground handling: Compatible with existing loading and support equipment, eliminating the need for custom solutions.
Radia explained that WindRunner is not meant to replace existing airlift fleets like the C-17 or C-5, but to complement them by taking on missions where sheer volume is the key factor. The company underscored its relevance in theaters such as the Indo-Pacific, Arctic, and Europe.
The aircraft will be developed with proven, certified components, and Radia has set a target for a first flight by 2030.
