Asia's largest transport aircraft is China's new Xi'an Y-20, nicknamed "Chubby Girl" that can loft 40 short tons of cargo 4,850 miles and 73 short tons 2,800 miles.

Chubby Girl entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) on June 15. The first two aircraft are operated by the 12^th Regiment of the 4^th Transport Division at Chengdu/Qionglai. The PLAAF and the two other armed services of the People's Liberation Army intend to order up to 1,000 Y-20s.

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China is the third nation after the United States and Russia to design and develop its own heavy military transport aircraft. The Y-20 is the largest military transport aircraft in Asia and the largest military aircraft currently in production.

Developed by Xi'an Aircraft Corporation, the Y-20 has an empty weight of 110 short tons. Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III, however, is bigger than the Y-20. The American transport's empty weight is 60,000 pounds more than the Y-20 and its payload capacity is 25,000 pounds more.

The Y-20 can transport China's largest tank, the Type 99 weighing 54 tonnes, plus other vehicles, supplies or a large number of troops. It draws power from four Russian-made Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines.

The PLAAF plans to replace the Russian engines with the Chinese-made Shenyang WS-20 turbofans by 2020 to give Chubby Girl short takeoff capabilities and longer range. The Y-20 can also be outfitted as a refueling tanker for other military aircraft or used as a strategic command center to coordinate fighter jets and aerial drones in combat.

The Y-20 is the first cargo aircraft to use 3D printing technology to hasten its development and cut manufacturing costs.

TagsXi'an Y-20, Chubby Girl, People's Liberation Army Air Force