A 463L pallet, officially the HCU-6/E Master Pallet, is the standardized aluminum pallet the US Air Force uses to move concentrated air cargo. It measures 88″ by 108″, is about 2″ thick, and weighs roughly 290 pounds empty (around 355 pounds with a full set of restraint nets). It’s the backbone of how the military loads and moves equipment on cargo aircraft.
Military cargo aircraft (like the C-130, C-17, and C-5) are built around standardized rail and roller systems on their cargo floors. The 463L pallet is sized and reinforced specifically to interface with that dual-rail restraint system, which lets ground crews load, secure, and unload cargo quickly and consistently across different aircraft types and airbases.
88″ wide × 108″ long × 2″ thick
Approximately 290 lbs (355 lbs with a complete net and strap set)
Corrosion-resistant aluminum
Engineered for the 463L dual-rail cargo restraint system used across US military airlift aircraft
Equipment shipped via 463L pallet still needs its own protective case for handling shock, vibration, and environmental exposure, the pallet secures cargo to the aircraft floor, but it doesn’t protect the contents of an individual case during loading, unloading, or ground transport before and after the flight. Cases designed for 463L-compatible shipments are typically sized and configured to nest efficiently on the pallet footprint while still meeting MIL-STD-810 protection requirements independently.
463L pallets are used throughout DoD airlift operations and by contractors moving equipment through military logistics channels, a GSA Hardigg dealer or contractor supplying government and military cases into that supply chain needs to understand pallet dimensions to design cases and shipments that use pallet space efficiently.
Shipping into a DoD supply chain also means understanding sourcing rules, see our Berry Amendment Compliance Guide for what’s required of textiles and components.
Why is it called a 463L pallet?
The “463L” designation comes from the US Air Force materials handling system it belongs to; the pallet itself is formally designated the HCU-6/E Master Pallet.
How much does a 463L pallet weigh?
An empty 463L pallet weighs approximately 290 pounds, or about 355 pounds with a full set of restraint nets attached.
What are the dimensions of a 463L pallet?
88 inches wide by 108 inches long and about 2 inches thick.
How many 463L pallets fit on a typical military cargo aircraft?
It varies by aircraft, larger airlifters like the C-17 and C-5 can carry multiple pallet positions, while smaller aircraft like the C-130 carry fewer. Capacity is generally specified per aircraft type in Air Force load planning documentation.
AllCases designs, cuts, and installs custom foam inserts and protective cases for defense, government, aerospace, and industrial customers nationwide from our ITAR-compliant, AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Oldsmar, FL. If you’re shipping equipment through military logistics channels and need cases engineered to fit 463L pallet loads and MIL-STD-810 protection requirements, visit our homepage or request a quote and an engineer will follow up the same business day.
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