Colorado Startup Radia Pitches ‘WindRunner’ Mega Airlifter to Pentagon

Overview

• Radia says its WindRunner design could move intact oversized loads, including up to four fighter jets or six CH‑47 Chinooks, that do not fit assembled inside current U.S. airlifters.
• The company claims more than 6,800 cubic meters of internal volume—roughly 12 times a C‑17 and seven times a C‑5—prioritizing space over maximum payload.
• Stated performance figures include about 73 metric tons of payload, roughly 1,931 kilometers of range at max load, and operations from unpaved runways as short as 1.83 kilometers.
• Public evidence remains limited to renderings, and Radia has not shown a completed airframe or flight testing despite promoting the concept for defense use.
• Radia cites a research partnership with U.S. Transportation Command and targets initial operations around 2030, with about $130 million in funding reported by PitchBook and a former Air Mobility Command leader guiding its defense effort.