US Air Force orders 15 Boeing C-17s

[tigershark]

US Air Force orders 15 Boeing C-17s
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Air Force has ordered 15 C-17 military transport planes from US manufacturer Boeing valued at 2.9 billion dollars, the Pentagon announced.

"The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to (Boeing subsidiary) McDonnell Douglas Corporation of Long Beach, California for an amount not to exceed 2.95 billion dollars ... for the procurement of 15 C-17 aircraft," the Department of Defense said in a statement.

The statement had no information on the date of the delivery of the aircraft.

The contract revives the fortunes of the aircraft, known as the Globemaster III, a plane at the heart of the US Air Force's fleet of long-range transport planes. The C-17 can fly long distances and land on short landing strips.

Boeing had been on the verge of scrapping C-17 production in 2006 when orders for the plane dried up.

The move revives work at the Boeing plant in Long Beach which would otherwise have closed down by mid-year, directly affecting some 5,500 Boeing workers.

The US Air Force has ordered up to now 190 C-17s. Boeing has also sold six of the airplanes to Britain, four to Canada and four to Australia.

Source
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iqcH3O_7bxVvQTotLh3PtE4dpN7g

[F-111 C/C]

That's a great story in this terrible economy. The C-17 is one of the greatest aircraft to be built in the last half century in my opinion. I'm happy for the 5500 Boeing workers.

[tigershark]

Your so right this is a great aircraft and doesn't get enough credited for what it does on a daily bases.  Has a hud too like a fighter use to talk to a C-17 pilot in a different forum nice guy and very proud of his aircraft and should be.  I always felt other types of platform should be made off it's frame to get better use of it's design and production.  Not sure it that's a cost effective idea but its the way my brain works why not use it for other missions?   

[WRCKid]

That's a great story in this terrible economy. The C-17 is one of the greatest aircraft to be built in the last half century in my opinion. I'm happy for the 5500 Boeing workers.

That's great and all, but as always we the Tax payers are of course picking up the tab. I mean why would the Airforce need 15 more on top of their 175 strong fleet?

[tigershark]

Hi WRCKid
That's complex in certain ways and time consuming to research but basically we need more then those 175.  I'll be honest I don't follow transports or tankers squadrons but know they get more hours flying then anybody in the USAF.  The two wars were fighting needless to stay are on the other side of the world and that's the the tip of the iceberg.  The USAF has I think 90 or so active Wing's not squadrons but Wing's and all of those Wings and Squadron bases need supplies, personnel movement, etc, so you'll see how those 175 can get used up pretty fast.  We have bases around the world and also help out our allies around the world as well, were so nice. (smile face)

Now if you want our allies to start forking over some money for this great service that's another issue and I agree with you they should pay.  I think NATO has gotten away with not paying their fair share over years but again that's another issue.

Maybe South Korea and Japan could be more helpful in this area? 

A number of the C-17s I assume are on call/standby for our 101st and 82nd as well.