The C-5 Galaxy is a heavy-cargo transport designed to provide strategic airlift for deployment and supply of combat and support forces. The C-5 can carry unusually massive and significant cargo for intercontinental ranges at jet speeds. The plane can take off and land in comparatively short distances and taxi on substandard surfaces throughout emergency operations. The C-5 and also the smaller C-141B Starlifter are strategic airlift partners. along they carry totally equipped, combat-ready troops to any area in the world on short notice and supply full field support necessary to keep up a fighting force.
The Galaxy is one of the world's largest aircraft. it's nearly as long as a soccer field and as high as a six-story building and contains a cargo compartment regarding the scale of an eight-lane bowling alley. The C-5 is the only aircraft that may transport any of the Army's combat equipment, including the 74-ton (66,600-kilogram) mobile scissors bridge, tanks and helicopters. the most weight for takeoff throughout peacetime is 769,000 pounds, and also the allowance will increase to 840,000 pounds in wartime. However, the plane has been flight tested at over one million pounds at the Air Force test Center at Edwards, AFB.
Using the front and rear cargo openings, the Galaxy can be loaded and off-loaded at the same time. each nose and rear doors open the complete width and height of the cargo compartment, permitting drive-through loading and unloading of wheeled and tracked vehicles, and faster, easier loading of bulky equipment. A "kneeling" landing gear system lowers the aircraft's cargo floor to truck-bed height. the whole cargo floor contains a roller system for fast handling of palletized equipment. Thirty-six totally loaded pallets can be loaded aboard in regarding 90 minutes.
