Originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation and cargo transport aircraft, this versatile airframe has found uses in other roles as a gunship, search and rescue, weather reconnaissance and aerial firefighting. It is capable of short takeoffs and landings from unprepared rough dirt strip runways and has the ability to fly with one failed engine. The Hercules has over 40 variants, serves more than 60 countries and has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history.