Defense: Military Transports And Bombers — 2017 Photo Contest

Airbus A400M

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

A Luftwaffe A400M seen over the Severn Estuary.

Lucky Transall

Ben Ullings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

A "lucky shot" taken from a Cessna 172 at 2,000 ft. altitude of a German Air Force C-160 Transall approaching Texel International Airport for a fly-by on its way home after participating in the Heldair-100 airshow.

Old Glory And Globemaster III

Bill Wozniak, Fair Lawn, New Jersey

After finishing an aerial performance, a C-17 Globemaster of the 105th Airlift Wing from Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York taxis past the crowd at the Westfield International Airshow in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Purple Daybreak

David Branco Filho, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP Brazil

Although it's a simple vehicle, a bicycle is still efficient when transporting hardware throughout the ramp to this high-tech Embraer KC-390.

B-1 on Prowl over Pacific

James Haseltine, Omaha, Nebraska

A B-1B from the U.S. Air Force Ninth Bomber Sqdn. flying a mission over the Pacific Ocean while deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam.

Aircraft Cemetery

Kirill Gorelov, Moscow

Cemetery of old aircraft in the center of Moscow.

A400M Finds A Hole In The Clouds

Leonard Van den Broek, Nieuw-Vennep, Netherlands

A400M Atlas flies over a single patch of blue sky during its display at the  2017 Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford.

Northrop B-2 Spirit Rose Bowl Flyover

Mark Holtzman, Sherman Oaks, California

The B-2 is captured from above through a hole in the clouds just before it flew over the start of the Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena, California.

Unpressurized Cockpit

David Branco Filho, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP Brazil

Flight test crew in the cockpit of an Embraer KC-390 during a high altitude test flight with the rear ramp open.

Vision

Kirill Gorelov, Moscow

Customer eyes an aircraft on the flight line at the 2017 Moscow Air Show.

USAF E-4 Below

Mitch Bowers, Aurora, Colorado

While shooting a commercial site, a USAF E-4 was spotted performing approaches into Colorado Springs Municipal Airport.

Omega Air KC-707 Refuels X-47B UCAS

U.S. Navy

An Omega Air Refueling KC-707 refuels the X-47B unmanned combat aerial system in the first ever instance of autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aircraft.

Technology Contrast

David Branco Filho, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP Brazil

Although being a simple vehicle, a bicycle is still efficient when transporting hardware throughout the ramp to this high-tech Embraer KC-390

Swiss Air Force PC-6 Porters In Formation

Peter Lewis, Brusten, Switzerland

Swiss Air Force Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porters flying in formation over central Switzerland.

P-8 Poseidon Underbelly

Philip Hosking, Modbury North, South Australia

This P-8 was a new acquisition for the Royal Australian Air Force (A47-001). It was on static display at the RAAF Edinburgh. This view shows the labyrinth of cable, hydraulic plumbing and mechanical linkages within the main landing gear stowage area.

Unexpected Guest

Kirill Gorelov, Moscow

Moscow flight show-2017.

Blasting The Sunset

Rene Vink, Enschede, Netherlands

Airbus Industries A400M splashes through water at Twente Airport for tests on a very wet runway.

Omega Air KDC-10 Flies With VX-23 F/A-18C

U.S. Navy

The Omega Air KC-10 flies alongside an F/A-18C with the VX-23 "Salty Dogs."

In Sync

Roy Prasad, Los Gatos, California

Synchronized flying at the San Francisco Air Show on Oct. 6, 2017.

Across The Way

Scott Stephens, Meridian, Mississippi

Ground fog rises around one of the KC-135s at Key Field Air National Guard Base, Meridian, Miss, on Sept. 15, 2017.

LC-130H

Shay Price, Cambridge, New York

A New York Air National Guard LC-130 returns from a polar training mission on the Greenland Ice Cap.

This gallery features a multinational selection of military transports and bombers, ranging from a Northrop Grumman B-2 and KC-390s to Soviet-era transports in Russia.

See Also

Winners of Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest

2017 Photo Contest Editor's Picks

Meet the Winning Photographers

Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest Judges

Commercial Aviation — 2017 Photo Contest Entries

Commercial: Widebody Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Space: Launch Phase — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Rotary-Wing Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Military Aerial Display Teams — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Combat-Ready Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Vintage Fighter Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Vintage Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Aerobatics — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Descriptions of photos are provided by the photographers. Although we make corrections when possible, we are unable to verify every detail provided with the photos or to research photo subjects.