The Beluga -- billed by Airbus as the world's biggest cargo plane in terms of volume transported -- looks something like a whale, with a rounded fuselage mounted on an Airbus A300-600 base.

Recently, Airbus unveiled a new generation of its bulbous cargo planes called the BelugaXL. It will take over for the current generation A300-600ST Beluga that has been in service for two decades.

The BelugaST made history with a long-haul mission to China by carrying two massive helicopters. Airbus Beluga Transport completed its first mission to China, showcasing impressive capabilities.