BelugaST

The original Airbus airlifter

Five BelugaST together

Airlifter extraordinaire

Since the mid-1990s

With one of the largest cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today, the Airbus BelugaST is ideally suited to transporting oversized payloads. Also known as the A300-600ST Super Transporter, for over 20 years the BelugaST fleet played a central role in keeping Airbus’ commercial aircraft production and assembly network operating at full capacity. 

Airbus created Airbus Beluga Transport (AIBT) in 2022 to explore the oversize transportation market by operating the BelugaST aircraft (A300) via its own Air Operator Certificate (AOC). With its BelugaST fleet, AIBT operated several international missions until the end of 2024.

An outsized origin story

From Guppy to Beluga

The Super Guppy

In the 1970s, fast-growing Airbus needed an air transporter to link production sites in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain. A solution was found in the shape of the Boeing Super Guppy. The airlifter was originally designed for NASA, and Airbus’ Super Guppies were actually built under licence in France.

Guppy

Birth of the BelugaST

By the mid-1990s, Airbus needed a new air transporter to support accelerating production. The Company commissioned the A300-600 Super Transporter. The aircraft became affectionately known as the BelugaST, in a nod to the white whale it resembles. An aviation star was born!

ILA 2024 - Beluga arrival

Over 20 years of service

The BelugaST supported Airbus’ production ramp-up for over 20 years. From 2022-2024, the BelugaST fleet operated by the newly created Airbus Beluga Transport operator (AIBT), were in service for freighter market customers needing to transport large outsized cargo around the world.

First mission of Airbus Beluga Transport in the US

Beluga ST: Characteristics

Based on A300-600ST

Dimensions

Overall length
56.16 m
Height
17.25 m
Wing span
44.84 m
Fuselage width
7.7 m
Loadable volume length
39.1 m
Loadable cross-section max. height
6.7 m
Loadable cross-section max. width
7.1 m

Performance

Max. payload
40 tonnes
Max. range
1,650 km
Max. take-off weight
155 tonnes
Max. landing weight
140 tonnes
Max. zero fuel weight
133.8 tonnes
Max. fuel capacity (density = 0.803)
23,860 litres

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