Beyond the cargo bay: The rise of transport aircraft as battlefield, rescue assets

The image of a fighter aircraft often comes to mind when one thinks of multi-role aircraft. These aircraft, especially those from the fourth generation onward, are designed from the outset to perform multiple roles such as air combat, bombing, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Yet when speaking of multi-role aircraft, one rarely thinks of the versatile transport aircraft. Transport aircraft have moved far beyond their traditional role of ferrying men and material to where they are needed, in war and in peace.Many a time, as demonstrated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) during Operation Maitri in Nepal, Operation Sankat Mochan in South Sudan, Operation Devi Shakti in Afghanistan and Operation Kaveri in Sudan, the first aircraft deployed in a crisis is a transport aircraft. In the operations listed above, the IAF deployed transport aircraft in conflict and disaster-hit zones to extricate trapped civilians.