Short C-23 Sherpa

The Short C‑23 Sherpa is a twin‑engine, high‑wing transport aircraft derived from the Short Skyvan and built by Short Brothers in Belfast, Northern Ireland. First flown in 1975, the Sherpa entered service with the United States Air Force in 1976 under the designation C‑23, where it performed cargo, personnel and aeromedical evacuation missions for more than three decades. A total of 43 airframes were produced, most of them modified from existing Skyvans, while a few were newly manufactured for the U.S. Army and civilian operators.

Key features include a spacious, box‑shaped fuselage with a rear ramp, allowing rapid loading of pallets, vehicles and stretchers. Its all‑metal construction, fixed tricycle landing gear and twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engines give the aircraft excellent short‑field performance, enabling operations from unimproved strips as short as 1,200 feet. The high wing provides unobstructed cargo space and superior visibility for pilots.

The C‑23 Sherpa’s reliability, low operating cost and ability to operate in austere environments made it an indispensable logistical workhorse during the Cold War, the Gulf War and humanitarian relief missions worldwide. Its legacy endures as a versatile platform that demonstrated the value of rugged, short‑range tactical airlift in both military and civilian aviation.

Short Brothers

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Design & Classification