Light tactical transport aircraft may not represent the most high-profile segment within the military aircraft market, but it is a segment where a wave of modernization is currently underway. As legacy fleets are phased out, many air forces around the world are seeking to sustain the niche capability these platforms provide.

The buoyant state of the current market is driven largely by the withdrawal of large numbers of Cold War era aircraft—especially the Antonov An-24 family, which first entered service in the early 1960s. At present 414 of these aircraft are still in operation around the world, representing 42% of all light tactical transport aircraft in service globally.