The air-filled or pneumatic tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Usually, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, provides the contact area with the road and seals this inner core.
Because the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The pressure of the air within the tire gives resistance against forces that try to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you know how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are several disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for example in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners should take into consideration tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or firing of guns. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped within a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these issues and thus, might be more suitable in certain applications.
The pneumatic tire might have issues as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure in a tire could increase the traction and the comfort level. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Hence, reduced air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires that have improper air pressure can lead to dangerous situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes also, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is important to consider the type of environments you would be requiring your equipment to function in so that you could frequently inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.