China has offered Nigeria the Y-20 Kunpeng transport aircraft, popularly known as the “Chubby Girl.”
The Y-20E, China’s largest military aircraft, was presented to Nigeria’s Defense Minister Mohammed Badar Abubakar during a diplomatic visit to Beijing in November 2023, as the Nigerian Defense News reported.
Unveiled to the public at the Dubai Air Show in December 2023, the Y-20 is positioned as China’s equivalent to the American C-17 Globemaster.
While Nigeria currently relies on the C-130 Hercules as its primary tactical airlifter, military experts say the Y-20E would provide the country with genuine strategic airlift capabilities.
The Y-20, China’s first domestically developed heavy airlifter, began development in the mid-2000s, had its inaugural flight in 2013, and entered active service in 2016. While the precise number in service is undisclosed, estimates suggest a fleet of at least 60 aircraft.
Measuring around 150 feet in length, 50 feet in height, with a wingspan of 160 feet, and featuring a range of close to 5,000 miles, the Y-20 offers a versatile platform suitable for various military and humanitarian operations.
The functionalities of the Y-20 include airborne command-and-control, logistics and airdrops, aerial refuelling, strategic reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as highlighted in a recent Pentagon report on the Chinese military.