Editing Advanced Medium STOL Transport

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
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{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
  |name = Advanced Medium STOL Transport
  |image = {{Multiple image
    |direction = vertical
    |border = infobox
    |image1 = Yc14-1 072.jpg
    |caption1 = [[Boeing YC-14]]
    |image2 = McDonnell Douglas YC-15A.jpg
    |caption2 = [[McDonnell Douglas YC-15]]
  }}
}}{{Infobox aircraft program
  |aim = tactical transport
  |requirement =
  |issuer = [[United States Air Force]]
  |service =
  |value =
  |initiated =
  |proposals =
  |prototypes = [[Boeing YC-14]] <br> [[McDonnell Douglas YC-15]]
  |concluded =
  |outcome = Canceled
  |predecessors =
  |successors = [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-X program]]
  |related =
}}
|}

The '''Advanced Medium STOL Transport''' ('''AMST''') project was intended to replace the [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]] tactical transport in [[United States Air Force]] service with a new aircraft with improved [[STOL]] performance. Increased need for strategic airlift led the Air Force to cancel the AMST program and seek a larger airlifter. Under the C-X program, the YC-15's basic design would become the successful [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) C-17 Globemaster III]].

==History==
The Advanced Medium STOL Transport project arose from a USAF requirement released in 1968. The official RFP was issued in 1972, asking for a C-130-class aircraft with short take-off and landing capability. This included operating from a {{convert |2000|ft|m|adj=on|sigfig=2}} semi-prepared field with a {{convert|400|nmi|km|adj=on|sigfig=2}} radius with a {{convert |27000|lb|kg|adj=on|sigfig=2}} payload.<ref name="Norton_p5">Norton 2001, pp. 5–7.</ref> The C-130 of that era required about {{convert|4000|ft|m|adj=on|sigfig=2}} for this load.

Five companies ([[Bell Aircraft|Bell]], [[Boeing]], [[Fairchild Aircraft|Fairchild]], [[McDonnell Douglas]] and the [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]]/[[North American Rockwell]] team) submitted designs at this stage of the competition. On 10 November 1972, the downselection was carried out, and [[Boeing]] and [[McDonnell Douglas]] won development contracts for two prototypes each. This resulted in the [[Boeing YC-14|YC-14]] and [[McDonnell Douglas YC-15|YC-15]], respectively.<ref name="Kennedy_p8">Kennedy 2004, pp. 8–11.</ref>

Both the Boeing YC-14 and McDonnell-Douglas YC-15 met the specifications of the contest under most conditions. Both types had higher drag than expected, which decreased performance. In the end, it was found more economical to just continue production of the [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]], which the AMST might have replaced. The C-130 continues in production to this date.<ref name="Norton_p8">Norton 2001, pp. 8–11.</ref>

On the Boeing YC-14, the upper-surface-blowing design for high aerodynamic lift used two jet engines that blew high-velocity airstreams over the inboard section of the wing and over special trailing-edge flaps. The large multisection flaps extended rearward and downward from the wing's trailing edge to increase the wing area, thus creating extra lift, which was further augmented by positioning the engines so their jet blast across the upper wing surfaces created still more lift. In addition, the placement of the engines above the wing prevented the engines from ingesting dirt and debris and shielded some of the engine noise from the ground so that the transport could make a quieter approach.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boeing.com/boeing/history/boeing/yc14.page| publisher = Boeing | title = Historical Snapshot: YC-14 Military Transport}}</ref>

The McDonnell Douglas YC-15 had four engines, while the Boeing version had two.  The YC-15 used large double-slotted flaps that extended over 75 percent of the wingspan to enhance STOL capabilities.  To save costs, it used a modified [[DC-8]] nosewheel unit and the [[DC-10]] cockpit, adapted for a two-person crew, with two lower windows for visibility during short-field landings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/boeing/history/mdc/yc-15.page | publisher = Boeing | title = Historical Snapshot: YC-15 Military Transport}}</ref>

{{Expand section|Add more details|date=July 2008}}
The increasing importance of strategic vs. tactical missions eventually led to the end of the AMST program in December 1979.<ref name="Kennedy_p12-19">Kennedy 2004, pp. 12–19.</ref> Then, in November 1979, the C-X Task Force formed to develop the required strategic aircraft with tactical capability.<ref name="Kennedy_p19-24">Kennedy 2004, pp. 19–24.</ref> The C-X program selected a proposal for an enlarged and upgraded YC-15 and one prototype (''72-1875'') was reclaimed from the [[Pima Air & Space Museum]] refurbished and returned to [[Edwards AFB]], CA for flight testing that was later incorporated into development of the [[C-17 Globemaster III]].<ref name="norton p12-3">Norton 2001, pp. 12–13.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
* Kennedy, Betty R. ''Globemaster III: Acquiring the C-17'', Air Mobility Command Office of History, 2004.
* Norton, Bill. ''Boeing C-17 Globemaster III'', Specialty Press, 2001. {{ISBN|1-58007-061-2}}.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060514144437/http://www.edwards.af.mil/moments/docs_html/75-08-26.html Edwards AFB: A Pair of Most Unusual Transports] (Internet Archive)
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/amst.htm History of the AMST project on GlobalSecurity.org]
* [http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/amst.asp AMST Prototypes: Boeing YC-14 and McDonnell Douglas YC-15 on theaviationzone.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531172726/https://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/amst.asp |date=31 May 2020 }}
* [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074749436;view=1up;seq=483 AMST vs. C-130 comparison]
* [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074749436;view=1up;seq=485 Boeing C-XX all-cargo carrier (concept)]

<!-- This is not an aircraft, this is a project. The constituent aircraft are already in Category:U.S. military transport aircraft 1970-1979. -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Advanced Medium Stol Transport}}
[[Category:Military transport aircraft]]
[[Category:Military aircraft procurement programs of the United States]]
[[Category:Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States]]