A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core which is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Normally, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other type of materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, because the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure inside the tire gives resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect when the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you know how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped in a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these type of issues and thus, in certain applications, might be more suitable.
The pneumatic tire might have issues as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure inside a tire could increase the comfort level and the traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Thus, less air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. In 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 correct air pressure. Tires which have wrong air pressure can result in dangerous situations. It is vital to note that pneumatic tires are also susceptible to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is very important to consider the kind of environments you would be requiring your equipment to function in so that you can frequently inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.