BERLIN— The European Defence Agency (EDA) is examining ways to preserve the continent’s ability to move oversized military cargo as the Antonov An-124 and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III fleets age and both aircraft types remain out of production.
The review follows an 18-month study under the European System for Outsized Cargo Airlift (ESOCA), which assessed options for maintaining strategic airlift capacity.
The study points to two main long-term paths: deeply modernizing existing An-124 aircraft or developing a new European strategic transport aircraft to replace the C-17.
Antonov Airlines (ADB), which operates An-124 freighters from Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ), remains an important provider of heavy-lift capacity, while European countries also share access to three C-17s based in Hungary.
Europe Faces Airlift Gap
The need for a solution has been identified for years. European defence planners have warned that the continent could face a strategic airlift shortfall because aircraft capable of transporting exceptionally large and heavy cargo are increasingly difficult to acquire.
The Airbus A400M can cover part of the requirement, but its smaller size and lower payload limit its ability to handle the largest loads.
NATO also relies on the Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS), while the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) operates three C-17 aircraft for 12 participating nations.
The ESOCA project received almost €20 million in EU funding and was designed to identify and evaluate short- and long-term solutions for European strategic airlift.
Airbus Defence and Space led the industrial study, with Leonardo, Safran Aircraft Engines and other European companies participating.
An-124 Modernization Option
One option is to extend the usefulness of the An-124 through a major modernization program.
Antonov already has experience upgrading the type, with the manufacturer listing modernized An-124 variants featuring improved avionics, engines and payload capabilities.
A recent example is An-124-100 UR-82073, which returned to Leipzig/Halle in July 2025 after extensive work at Antonov’s facility in Kyiv. Reports said the aircraft received modernized engines and a glass cockpit, demonstrating that significant upgrades to the aging design remain technically possible.
Antonov Airlines had five An-124s based in Germany after relocating its operations following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with UR-82073 subsequently becoming a sixth aircraft at Leipzig/Halle.
The company is also developing a permanent maintenance facility at the German airport.
New European Airlifter
The second route would involve developing an entirely new European aircraft capable of handling the oversized cargo missions currently served by the An-124 and C-17.
Such a program would require common requirements, substantial industrial cooperation, and significant long-term investment.
Europe already has experience with multinational military transport programs through the A400M and shared C-17 fleet.
However, the C-17 program itself is no longer producing new aircraft, while the three SAC aircraft have been in service since 2009.
The EDA is expected to present the ESOCA findings to EU member states for further discussion in Brussels in October, Aero Telegraph reported.
The decisions that follow will determine whether Europe extends an existing heavy-lift platform, pursues a new aircraft, or combines several solutions to maintain outsized strategic airlift capacity.
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