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How the US military wants to use the world's largest aircraft

The world’s largest aircraft, called WindRunner, is being designed to carry huge wind turbine blades – but the US military is looking into its own applications for the proposed plane

20 May 2025

An illustration shows how the WindRunner aircraft will be able to carry smaller planes as cargo
Windrunner / Radia

The US military is exploring uses for a proposed aircraft that will be the largest plane ever built – even though the flyer is primarily designed to carry giant wind turbine blades.

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Jets wrapped in 'shark skin' material could fly further on less fuel

The WindRunner, currently under development by the company Radia in Colorado, is planned to have an 80-metre wingspan and a 108-metre length. That’s roughly the dimensions of a FIFA-regulation football field, giving the aircraft about 12…

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