Boeing C-17 Globemaster III vs Antonov An-124 Ruslan
Side-by-side spec comparison with neutral percentage deltas.
Spec table
| Spec | Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | Antonov An-124 Ruslan |
|---|---|---|
| Max speed (mph) (mph) | 515 | 537 |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| Combat radius / range (mi) | 5,610 | 3,100 |
| Service ceiling (ft) | 45,000 | 39,400 |
| MTOW (lb) | 585,000 | 893,000 |
| Empty weight (lb) | 282,500 | 385,809 |
| Payload (lb) | 170,900 | 330,693 |
| Endurance (hr) | — | 10 |
| Length (ft) | 174 | 226.7 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 169.8 | 240.5 |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio (MTOW) | 0.07 | 0.06 |
Green = leader on that dimension. Higher is treated as better for all rows shown.
On-paper verdict
- Max speed (mph): Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+4%)
- Combat radius / range: Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (+81%)
- Service ceiling: Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (+14%)
- MTOW: Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+53%)
- Empty weight: Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+37%)
- Payload: Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+94%)
- Length: Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+30%)
- Wingspan: Antonov An-124 Ruslan (+42%)
- Thrust-to-weight ratio (MTOW): Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (+20%)
Performance
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III tops out at 515 mph and a service ceiling of 45000 ft. Antonov An-124 Ruslan is rated at 537 mph with a service ceiling of 39400 ft.
Range & payload
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III carries up to 170900 lb over 5610 mi. Antonov An-124 Ruslan carries 330693 lb over 3100 mi. Numbers above are the headline manufacturer figures — real-world performance trades payload against range against fuel reserves.
Engines
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III: 4x Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan (40,440 lbf each).
Antonov An-124 Ruslan: 4x ZMKB Progress D-18T turbofans (51,590 lbf each).
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III or Antonov An-124 Ruslan?
515 mph (Boeing C-17 Globemaster III) vs 537 mph (Antonov An-124 Ruslan).
Which has the longer range?
5610 mi (Boeing C-17 Globemaster III) vs 3100 mi (Antonov An-124 Ruslan).
What's the payload difference?
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III: 170900 lb · Antonov An-124 Ruslan: 330693 lb.
Are these specs current?
Specs come from each aircraft's manufacturer-published or Wikipedia-aggregated figures, current as of the page's last regeneration. Variants and block upgrades may carry different numbers — check the linked reference pages for the latest.
Which one was built first?
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III: service entry 1993. Antonov An-124 Ruslan: service entry 1986.
Sources
Spec values pulled from each aircraft's reference page in the gallery, which aggregates manufacturer-published figures with Wikipedia-cited sources:
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