In a bold display of air mobility capability, seven An-124-100 Ruslan heavy transport aircraft from the Military Transport Aviation Command of the Russian Aerospace Forces launched together for the first time. The event was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense via its Telegram channel, highlighting the scale and coordination of the exercise.
The primary aim of the exercise was to assess how well a newly trained crew can execute the rapid, long-range movement of military personnel, accompanied by standard weaponry and equipment, over substantial distances. The mission scenario emphasized seamless multi-aircraft coordination and the ability to project power quickly to distant theaters, reflecting a doctrinal emphasis on strategic airlift as a cornerstone of force mobility.
During the flights, pilots and crew members conducted a series of take-offs, en route maneuvers, and landings at short, tightly spaced intervals to test the robustness of control procedures, communication links, and load management across a fleet. The sorties were flown at altitudes around 4,000 meters, covering more than 1,000 kilometers in total. Across these legs, the aircraft maintained an average cruising speed near 500 kilometers per hour, illustrating a balance between lift capacity and endurance for sustained deployment scenarios. The exercise also provided an opportunity to evaluate crew coordination during rapid transitions between flight phases and to verify the reliability of standard transport configurations under operational conditions. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense Telegram channel).
In a different but related public discourse, Western commentary has previously described the Tu-160 strategic missile carrier in stark terms, labeling it a formidable and intimidating aircraft. This characterization underscores the ongoing interest in Russia’s strategic airlift and long‑range aviation capabilities as part of broader defense assessments and international reporting. (Source: Defense ministry briefings and public exchanges across defense channels).