Antonov An‑124 flies Spanish Chinooks to Iraq for first mission

One of the Ukrainian aerial giants, the Antonov An-124 plane, recently visited Poland to assist in transporting a Naval Missile Unit for the SeaShield24 exercises in Romania. This time, the world's largest mass-produced cargo plane was spotted carrying Chinook F helicopters. These helicopters, belonging to Spain, were en route to Iraq.

The Spanish military utilized the Antonov An-124 Ruslan's formidable transport capacity to ship two Chinook F transport helicopters to Iraq. Three helicopters will be deployed, marking their first mission abroad. According to the Bulgarian military service, transporting these helicopters necessitated the removal of the rotor blades and several other components.

The Chinook Fs are set to replace the four Airbus AS532 Cougar helicopters previously operated by Spanish forces. They served in Task Force Toro, contributing to the international Inherent Resolve mission to support Iraq in combating terrorism and bolstering regional stability. These helicopters are destined for the Al Asad base, located north of Baghdad, which hosts foreign military contingents, including American forces.

The Info Defensa service highlights that the Spanish Ministry of Defense frequently employs An-124 planes to transport military equipment abroad. It further explains that these aircraft are leased through the company DSV, a Spanish defense logistics operator. The An-124 is favored for its speed when the Airbus A400M, operated by the Spanish air forces, is not an available option.

For context, the An-124 plane measures about 229 feet long, and its wingspan exceeds 239 feet. When empty, it weighs approximately 385,800 pounds. It boasts a 118-foot-long cargo hold, carrying up to about 287,000 pounds of cargo. The Ruslan can reach speeds of up to about 537 mph. In contrast, the Airbus A400M measures about 144 feet long and has a wingspan of over 137 feet. It weighs around 154,300 pounds empty, with a maximum takeoff weight of 310,850 pounds, and can reach speeds up to about 484 mph.