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Wind turbine blade-gobbling world’s largest plane may join US military’s cargo fleet
Interesting Engineering ^ | May 22, 2025 | Abhishek Bhardwaj

Posted on 05/22/2025 5:43:10 AM PDT by Red Badger

The US military believes that this collaboration will inform future strategy decisions and operational planning.

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Artistic representation of fighter jets entering Radia Windrunner plane for transport.

Radia

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Windrunner, the world’s largest plane that is currently being built in Colorado, is being eyed by the United States military for playing a very different role than what it is primarily meant for.

Radia, a Colorado-based startup, is working on the Windrunner, which will be the world’s largest plane with 12 times the cargo volume of the huge Boeing 747. The company believes that it will cater to the wind energy industry, where there will be a need to transport huge blades, which are over 328 feet (100 meters) in length.

While the initial plan was to cater to the wind turbine industry, Radia has recently entered into a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) signed between DoD and Radia aims to use the 356 feet (109 meters) long aircraft, with a height of 79 feet, and a wingspan of 261 feet (80 meters), to support critical DoD logistics and transportation needs.

CRADA will focus on understanding the feasibility and operational effectiveness of the WindRunner as a potential commercial carrier option.

US military plans to use Radia Windrunner

The key areas of research under CRADA will be assessing the cargo capacity and handling of Radia’s Windrunner. It will try to find out whether the plane could transport various types of DoD cargo, including space launch materials, oversized equipment, and humanitarian aid.

VIDEO AT LINK.....................

Under the agreement, the US DoD will also try to evaluate airfield suitability, ground handling procedures, and necessary infrastructure for efficient WindRunner operations.

Moreover, they will also see the plane’s performance in different types of operational scenarios. It will also try to find out which portions of critical DoD logistics can be taken care of by the Windrunner in the future.

“The WindRunner allows the world’s biggest things to be delivered to the hardest-to-reach locations. This collaboration demonstrates how commercial capabilities may help to support U.S. national defense by integrating with and addressing military needs,” said Mark Lundstrom, Radia Founder and CEO.

He further said that together with DoD, they will try to explore innovative solutions for transporting outsized and high-volume cargo, “enhancing the DoD’s ability to respond to global challenges.”

The US military believes this collaboration will inform future strategy decisions and operational planning for dual-use civilian and military airlift capabilities.

Opening the path for larger wind turbines Radia’s Windrunner has the goal to transport offshore-sized wind turbine blades to develop high-capacity onshore wind farms. These high-capacity onshore wind farms are called “GigaWind” – a segment that Radia is also working to develop alongside other firms.

It can also cater to firms that are looking to transport high volumes of cargo through the air.

To put things in perspective, the Windrunner is almost as long as an NFL football field. One of the reasons for the DoD’s interest in Windrunner plane might be because of its ability to land on unpaved landing strips, as per the company’s claims.

Back in November 2024, the company had signed an agreement with Italian aerospace company MAGROUP Magnaghi Aerospace to develop the landing system for the WindRunner aircraft.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Military/Veterans; Travel
KEYWORDS: abhishekbhardwaj; aviation; boeing747; colorado; crada; dod; gigawind; italy; magnaghiaerospace; magroup; marklundstrom; operationnickelgrass; radia; radiawindrunner; windrunner
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To: alancarp

I was an engineer on several airport projects. I’ve seen C5’s take off andland on 8,000 foot runways. At Klamath Falls airport with a 10,000 foot runway, I saw a C5 touch down at the 4,000 foot mark and shut down at 9,000 feet.

I saw a Antonov at Kfalls use all 10,000 to take off and land.

Another issue is the wing span and the location of the outboard engines. Kfalls is 150 feet wide runway and the C5 outboards were beyond the pavement edge which thros up a lot of debris and required extensive runway sweeping.


21 posted on 05/22/2025 6:20:35 AM PDT by shotgun
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To: Red Badger
From the article: One of the reasons for the DoD’s interest in Windrunner plane might be because of its ability to land on unpaved landing strips, as per the company’s claims.

"as per the company's claims..."

The 'company' didn't claim anything. Let the author cite the individual who claimed that aircraft will have the ability to land on unpaved landing strips, because it's complete fiction.

22 posted on 05/22/2025 6:31:13 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: Red Badger

The story said length was one football field (100 yds).
My mistake, I guess


23 posted on 05/22/2025 6:33:31 AM PDT by ZOOKER
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To: Red Badger

Is the inventor building the prototype in his garage? (Hey, the Wright brothers started small !)

“The good news is we have built the world’s biggest aircraft. The bad news is there is nowhere on Earth big enough to hangar it nor is there a runway long enough for it to take off and land. We are considering converting it into a shopping mall and adding waterslides off the wings. We are thinking outside the box.”


24 posted on 05/22/2025 6:35:28 AM PDT by Gnome1949
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To: Red Badger

OK we have guesstimate on 747 comparison. How much bigger than a C-5?


25 posted on 05/22/2025 6:35:37 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The dawn cracks hard like a bull whip and it ain't taking no lip from the night before" Tom Waits)
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To: Red Badger
If necessity is the mother of invention

Why are so many unnecessary things invested...?

26 posted on 05/22/2025 6:37:08 AM PDT by spokeshave (Proud Boys, Angry Dads. Grumpy Grandads & Curmudgeon<p.s)
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To: Red Badger

Ah, they’ve found a use for the old out of use turbine blades? Drop them on the enemy? Better than stuffing them under the bed (putting them in old mines). More silliness.


27 posted on 05/22/2025 6:39:01 AM PDT by Irenic
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To: Trumpet 1

It probably saves the expense of getting the pilots back.


28 posted on 05/22/2025 6:51:15 AM PDT by jmcenanly (You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ― Winston)
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To: Clutch Martin

Gigantic wind turbines are inefficient and fast approaching obsolescence.

Promoting advanced wind turbine technology and blade design would be more effective in the long-term. Grasping and holding onto aged technology smacks of corraling technological investment while curtailing advancement for the sake of controlling competitive gains.


29 posted on 05/22/2025 6:51:26 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The dawn cracks hard like a bull whip and it ain't taking no lip from the night before" Tom Waits)
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To: ZOOKER

....almost as long as an NFL football field....

If one includes both endzones, the NFL football field is 120 yards long.

FYI and Freegards


30 posted on 05/22/2025 7:27:20 AM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find. )
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To: Red Badger

Spruce Goose II.


31 posted on 05/22/2025 7:30:48 AM PDT by DownInFlames (P)
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To: alancarp

Size does not matter in the amount of runway needed. That would be closely tied to lift/drag ratio and stall speed, reversible engine thrust, and current load weight.


32 posted on 05/22/2025 10:38:35 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: logi_cal869

I would like to see a plane with 20 engines, 10 on each side, wingspan of 2,000 feet and a length of 2,850 feet.

It would need five miles of runway to take off but what a majestic sight that would be indeed!


33 posted on 05/26/2025 3:25:52 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: SamAdams76
1 out of 4 ain't bad. /s


34 posted on 05/26/2025 4:50:59 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -')
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