Documents
China Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC)
Y-20
China's first indigenous strategic airlifter, comparable in role to the Boeing C-17, built to give the PLA long-range heavy-lift capability for troops, vehicles and outsized cargo. Later production switched from Russian D-30KP-2 engines to the domestic WS-20 turbofan.
In service since 2016 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
920
km/h
7,800
km range
13,000
m ceiling
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2016. Status: active · ~90 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 920 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 800 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 7,800 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 13,000 m |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 47 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 45 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 15 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 100,000 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 220,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 3 |
| Cargo payload Maximum cargo the transport can carry. Higher means more lift per sortie. | 66,000 kg |
| Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more. | 180 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 4x Xian WS-20 turbofans (early aircraft: Soloviev D-30KP-2) |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 4 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 138 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 90 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Y-20 vs
Il-76MD-90A Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 has a maximum speed of 920 km/h.
What is the range of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 has a maximum range of 7,800 km.
How much does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 weigh? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 has a combat weight of 220,000 kg.
How many crew does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 require? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 requires a crew of 3.
What engine does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 use? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 is powered by the 4x Xian WS-20 turbofans (early aircraft: Soloviev D-30KP-2).
What is the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 used for? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 is a transport & tanker typically used for isr.
How many countries operate the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20 cost? +
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) Y-20: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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