Images courtesy of: http://www.aerospaceweb.org
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STATS:
Crew: 6
Payload: 255,000 kg
Door Dimensions: 440x640 cm
Length: 90 m
Wingspan: 88.40 m
Height: 18.1 m
Wing area: 905 m²
Empty Weight: 180,000 kg
MTOW: 605,000kg
Powerplant: 6x ZMKB Skylark A-18 High Bypass Turbofans, 235 kN each
Takeoff run: 3,500 m
Maximum Speed: 850 kph
Cruise Speed: 800 kph
Range:
Max Fuel: 17,000 km
Max Payload: 7,000 km
Service Ceiling: 11,000 m
Thrust/Weight: .234
Countermeasures: Flare/Chaff Pods; LA-22 Radar Warning Receiver
Radar: AN/APG-63(V)3
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Background, conceptualisation and design
The Minotaur is a slight lengthening of the legendary Antonov AN-225 Strategic Transport aircraft. The lengthening was required in order to fit NS-grade Main Battle Tanks aboard the aircraft; and the Minotaur can also carry an entire Space Shuttle on it's back, while carrying the booster rockets inside the aircraft.
In order to save weight and allow for a larger payload, the Minotaur has no rear ramp, unloading is by means of the raising of the nose for payload release. Cargo load could include just shy of four main battle tanks (by mass).
However, the mission of the C-10 is not entirely military; a single aircraft can deliver significant quantities of commercial produce or disaster relief supplies, and the C-10 is also capable of conventional heavy lifting tasks. For instance, the completed fuselage of a 737 jet can fit inside the cavernous interior of the Minotaur.
The aircraft is powered by six ZMKB Skylark A-18 High Bypass Turbofans, producing a combined thrust of 1,410 kN. However, the sheer mass of the Minotaur means that it will never be a particularly agile aircraft, and Lamonian doctrine holds that the Minotaur should not see front-line use; instead flying where air superiority (or at the very least air parity) is assured, even with defensive flare and chaff pods on board. The Minotaur also carries the AN/APG-63(V)3 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar; mainly configured for collision avoidance and navigation, and not for the destruction of enemy aircraft.
Landing Gear
Image courtesy of: http://www.wikipedia.org
As the image shows, the Minotaur has two banks of seven double wheeled landing gear down the sides of the aircraft, and two double wheeled landing gears in the front. This allows for the aircraft and payloads combined weight to be distributed evenly amongst the various tires, so that the chance of the landing gear breaking off or otherwise suffering catastrophic failure at a critical moment is vastly reduced.
Export
C-10s are available at NS$300m per aircraft. Orders can be made through Lyran Arms, which is operating as an authorised distributor of the C-10, on behalf of LAIX, under charter from the Lamonian Government. While not a Lyran aircraft, Lyran analysis has concluded that this particular strategic cargo transport is the optimum solution for a wide spectrum of logistics taskings, and endorses it accordingly.
