Aviation Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for aircraft pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
The C-130 is well known for her ability to perform a LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction) drop to deliver vehicles to an airhead.
I'm wondering if other larger military airlift aircraft that are also able to perform this maneuver, in particular the C-17, or (unlikely) the C-5?
Just the C-130. The C-17 was intended to have that capability, but it was decided against.
That's according to a 1995 report to congressional committees (gao.gov; PDF):
C-17's Intended Role Has Changed
(...) the C-17's unique 60,000 pound low-altitude parachute extraction system (LAPES) capability is not needed, and the aircraft cannot meet original airdrop requirements.
Unique C-17 LAPES Capability No Longer Required
LAPES is a means of extracting equipment while an airlifter flies at low levels. At present, the C-130 is the only aircraft capable of LAPES operations, and it is limited to extracting 42,000 pounds of equipment. In 1981, the Army identified an "urgent need" to develop a LAPES capability up to 60,000 pounds. According to Army officials, this capability was needed to extract armored artillery pieces, ammunition, and towing vehicles from the same LAPES platform, which would minimize dispersion over the drop zone. The C-17 was intended to provide this unique capability. In March 1994, the Army acknowledged that " LAPES has been an expensive, unused, untrained capability and is potentially of limited battlefield use." The Army stated that the current C-130 42,000-pound LAPES capability "appears to more than adequately address foreseeable Army requirements." The Army intends neither to maintain the material systems and rigging required for the 60,000-pound LAPES platform nor to conduct C-17 LAPES training. Thus, the C-17 will not be used for this mission. However, AMC officials noted that testing of a 42,000-pound C-17 LAPES capability is currently underway.
While the report is from 1995, it is the only official mention of the matter that I've been able to find. That's probably why you haven't found videos for it either. The C-17 does parachute down equipment though from higher-than-LAPES altitudes.
