The Shorts C-23 Sherpa is a small military transport aircraft built by Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was designed to operate from unpaved runways and make short takeoffs and landings (STOL). It features a large, squared fuselage with a full-width rear cargo door/ramp. The Shorts production line opened in 1984 and built roughly 60 aircraft until the Cold War ended in 1990. Starting in the 1980s, the Sherpa served with the U.S. Air Force until its retirement in 1990. Approximately 8 of these aircraft were transferred to several U.S. Army units for testing.
In 1988, the Army ordered ten new-build Shorts 330s designated C-23B to replace the DHC C-7 Caribou; a further six were ordered in 1990. When the Army wanted 20 more C-23s in 1990, the production line had closed; second-hand Shorts 360 aircraft were purchased instead. Designated C-23B+, these were modified from the original single tail to the twin-tail and cargo ramp of the other C-23Bs. During Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003–2011), the C-23 served the Army’s intra-theater cargo and personnel transport needs. It provided an economic alternative for transporting up to 20 people or three pallets of cargo when speed was not critical.
Wingspan | |
Length | |
Height | |
Weight | |
Maximum Speed | |
Service Ceiling | |
Range | |
Engines | |
Crew |