Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

C-17 Globemaster III
USAF C-17 Globemaster IIIs on a low-level tactical training mission over the Blue Ridge Mountains
Role	Strategic/tactical airlifter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
First flight	15 September 1991
Introduction	14 July 1993
Status	In service
Primary users	United States Air Force Royal Air Force Royal Australian Air Force Canadian Forces
Number built	212 as of January 2010[1]
Unit cost	$191 million (2010)[2]
Developed from	McDonnell Douglas YC-15

The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout the world; it can also perform tactical airlift, medical evacuation and airdrop missions.^[3] The C-17 carries the name of two previous U.S. military cargo aircraft, the C-74 Globemaster and the C-124 Globemaster II.

The C-17 is operated by the U.S. Air Force, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada,^[4] NATO,^[5] and Qatar,^[6] while the United Arab Emirates has placed orders.^[7]

Development

Background

In the 1970s, the U.S. Air Force began looking for a replacement for the C-130 Hercules tactical airlifter.^[8] The Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) competition was held, with Boeing proposing the YC-14, and McDonnell Douglas proposing the YC-15.^[9] Though both entrants exceeded specified requirements, the AMST competition was canceled before a winner had been selected. The Air Force subsequently started the C-X program to develop a larger AMST with longer range to augment its strategic airlift,^[10] this programme was later cancelled by the Pentagon.^[11]

The McDonnell Douglas YC-15 design was used as the basis for the C-17.

By 1980, the USAF found itself with a large fleet of aging C-141 Starlifter cargo aircraft. Compounding matters, USAF historically never possessed sufficient strategic airlift capabilities to fulfill its airlift requirements. The USAF set mission requirements and released a request for proposals (RFP) in October 1980. McDonnell Douglas elected to develop a new aircraft based on the YC-15; Boeing bid an enlarged version of its AMST YC-14. Lockheed submitted two designs, a C-5-based design and an enlarged C-141 design. On 28 August 1981, McDonnell Douglas was chosen to build its proposed aircraft, by then designated C-17. The new aircraft differed in having swept wings, increased size, and more powerful engines.^[12] This would allow it to perform all work performed by the C-141, but to also fulfill some of the duties of the C-5 Galaxy, freeing the C-5 fleet for outsize cargo.^[12]

Design phase

Development continued until December 1985, when a full-scale production contract was signed for 210 aircraft.^[13][14] Development problems and limited funding caused delays in the late 1980s.^[15] Criticisms were made of the developing aircraft and questions were raised about more cost-effective alternatives during this time.^[16][17] In April 1990, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney reduced the order from 210 to 120 aircraft.^[18] The C-17's maiden flight was on 15 September 1991 from the McDonnell Douglas west coast plant in Long Beach, California, about a year behind schedule.^[19] The first aircraft (T-1) and five more production models (P1-P5) participated in extensive flight testing and evaluation at Edwards Air Force Base.^[20] The C-17 received the "Globemaster III" name in early 1993.^[12] In late 1993, the DoD gave the contractor two years to solve production and cost overrun problems or face termination of the contract after the delivery of the 40th aircraft.^[21] By accepting the 1993 terms, McDonnell Douglas incurred a loss of nearly US$1.5 billion on the development phase of the program.^[20]

Three C-17s unload supplies to help victims of Hurricane Katrina at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, in August 2005.

In April 1994, the C-17 program was still over budget, and did not meet weight, fuel burn, payload and range specifications. It also failed several key criteria and tests that had been conducted to evaluate its airworthiness.^[22][23][24] Airflow over the aircraft caused problems with parachutes and there were other technical problems with mission software, landing gear, etc.^[25] In May 1994, a proposal to cut the aircraft's production numbers to as low as 32 planes emerged, but was rescinded.^[26] A July 1994 GAO document revealed that to justify investing in the C-17 rather than in the C-5, Air Force and DoD studies from 1986 and 1991 had claimed that the C-17 could use 6,400 more runways outside the U.S. than the C-5; it was later discovered that this study had only considered the runway dimensions, but not their strength or Load Classification Numbers (LCN). The C-5 has a lower LCN than the C-17, although the U.S. Air Force places both in the same broad Load Classification Group (LCG). When considering runway dimensions and their load ratings, the C-17's worldwide runway advantage over the C-5 shrank from 6,400 to 911 airfields.^[27] However, the C-17's ability to use lower quality, austere airfields was not considered.^[27]

A January 1995 GAO report revealed that while the original C-17 budget was US$41.8 billion for 210 aircraft, the 120 aircraft already ordered at that point had already cost US$39.5 billion.^[28] In March 1994, the U.S. Army had decided it no longer needed the 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES) delivery that the C-17 was supposed to provide, feeling that the 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) capability of the C-130 Hercules was sufficient. It was decided not to conduct C-17 LAPES training beyond the testing of a 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) LAPES delivery. There were still airflow problems that prevented the C-17 from meeting its airdrop requirements. A February 1997 GAO Report revealed that a C-17 with a full payload could not land on 3,000 ft (900 m) wet runways, for simulations suggested 5,000 ft (1,500 m) was required.^[29] The YC-15 was transferred out of Pima Air & Space Museum to AMARC to be made flightworthy again for further flight tests for the C-17 program in March 1997.^[30]

By the mid-1990s, most of the problems had been resolved.^[31][32] The first C-17 squadron was declared operational by the U.S. Air Force in January 1995.^[33] In 1996, DoD ordered another 80 aircraft for a total of 120.^[34] In 1997 McDonnell Douglas merged with its former competitor, Boeing. In April 1999, Boeing proposed to cut the price of the C-17 if the Air Force bought 60 more,^[35] and in August 2002, the order was increased to 180 aircraft.^[36]

Recent developments

In October 2007, 190 C-17s were on order to the USAF and Boeing had purchased parts for 30 new C-17s at its own expense in hopes that Congress would approve the funds requested.^[37] Fifteen C-17s were earmarked in a FY2008 War Supplemental^[38] that Congress passed and was signed into law in June 2008.^[39] These funds extended production from August 2009 to August 2010. On 6 February 2009, Boeing was awarded a contract for 15 additional C-17s for US$2.95 billion, thus pushing total C-17s on contract to the USAF to 205.^[40] On 6 April 2009, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that there would be no more C-17s ordered beyond the 205 planned.^[41] This announcement may have been a bit early, because a month later in May a war funding bill was put forward that requested an additional US$2.2bn for up to eight more aircraft.^[42] And on 12 June 2009, the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee added 17 C-17s to the authorized force level.^[43]

In November 2009, 205 C-17s were on contract with the USAF. A contract for eight C-17s from the supplemental war funding bill has not yet been awarded. On 18 December 2009, the US Senate passed the FY 2010 DOD budget with funding for 10 C-17s and was signed into law by the President the following day. Total USAF C-17s contracted will be 223 once contracts are awarded, extending production until 2013.

In January 2010, the USAF announced that it would end Boeing's performance-based logistics contracts to maintain the aircraft, which was a key source for projected profit growth for the company.^[44]

Design

The inside of a C-17

The C-17 is 174 feet long and has a wingspan of about 170 feet. It can airlift cargo fairly close to a battle area. The size and weight of U.S. mechanized firepower and equipment have grown in recent decades, increasing increased air mobility requirements, particularly for large or heavy outsize (non-palletized) cargo.

The C-17 is powered by four fully reversible, F117-PW-100 turbofan engines (the Department of Defense designation for the commercial Pratt and Whitney PW2040, used on the Boeing 757). Each engine is rated at 40,400 lb_f (180 kN) of thrust. The thrust reversers direct air upward and forward, reducing the chance of foreign object damage and providing enough thrust to back the aircraft on the ground. The thrust reversers can also be used in flight at idle-reverse for added drag in maximum-rate descents.

C-17 landing, showing its landing gear

The aircraft requires a crew of three (pilot, copilot, and loadmaster) for cargo operations. Cargo is loaded through a large aft door that accommodates rolling stock, such as the 70-ton M1 Abrams tank, other armored vehicles, trucks, trailers, etc., along with palletized cargo. The cargo compartment is 88 feet (26.82 meters) long by 18 feet (5.49 meters) wide by 12 feet 4 inches (3.76 meters) high. The cargo floor has rollers for palletized cargo that can be flipped to provide a flat floor suitable for rolling stock.

Maximum payload of the C-17 is 170,900 lb (77,500 kg), and its Maximum Takeoff Weight is 585,000 lb (265,350 kg). With a payload of 160,000 lb (72,600 kg) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 ft (8,500 m), the C-17 has an unrefueled range of about 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km) on the first 71 aircraft, and 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km) on all subsequent extended-range models that include sealed center wing bay as a fuel tank. Boeing informally calls these planes the C-17 ER.^[45] The C-17's cruise speed is about 450 knots (833 km/h) (0.76 Mach).^[3] The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and their equipment. The U.S. Army BCT Ground Combat Vehicle is to be transported by the C-17.

A C-17 creates a visible vortex while using reverse thrust to push the aircraft backwards on a runway.

The C-17 is designed to operate from runways as short as 3,500 ft (1,064 m) and as narrow as 90 ft (27 m). In addition, the C-17 can operate from unpaved, unimproved runways (although with greater chance of damage to the aircraft).^[3] The thrust reversers can be used to back the aircraft and reverse direction on narrow taxiways using a three- (or more) point turn.^[3]

Operational history

United States Air Force

The first production model was delivered to Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina on 14 July 1993. The first squadron of C-17s, the 17th Airlift Squadron, was declared operationally ready on 17 January 1995.^[46] The C-17 has broken 22 records for oversized payloads.^[47] The C-17 was awarded US aviation's most prestigious award, the Collier Trophy in 1994.^[48]

A USAF C-17 takes off

The Air Force originally programmed to buy a total of 120 C-17s, with the last one being scheduled for delivery in November 2004. The fiscal 2000 budget funded another 14 aircraft, primarily for Air Mobility Command (AMC) support of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Basing of the original 120 C-17s was with the 437th Airlift Wing and 315th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, South Carolina, the 62d Airlift Wing and 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Washington (first aircraft arrived in July 1999), the Air Education and Training Command's (AETC) 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, and the Air Mobility Command-gained 172d Airlift Wing of the Mississippi Air National Guard at Jackson-Evers International Airport/ANGB, Mississippi. Although operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command, the C-17 aircraft assigned to the 172 AW are the only C-17s strictly under direct control of the Air National Guard (ANG).

Basing of the additional 13 aircraft went to the 305th Air Mobility Wing and 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; the 3d Wing and 176th Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; 15th Airlift Wing and 154th Wing at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; and 60th Air Mobility Wing and 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California. An additional 60 units were ordered in May 2002. In FY 2006, eight C-17s were delivered to March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. Although operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command, these C-17s are the only aircraft strictly under direct control of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). In 2007, Congress appropriated funds for 10 additional USAF C-17s, bringing the total planned fleet size (on order + delivered) to 190. Additional aircraft were subsequently assigned to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware which had previously been strictly equipped with C-5 Galaxy aircraft.

A C-17 lands at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, after dropping humanitarian food rations over Afghanistan.

USAF C-17A taxis to the takeoff point at the Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, England.

The C-17 have been and continue to deliver military goods and humanitarian aid during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. On 26 March 2003, fifteen USAF C-17s participated in the biggest combat airdrop since the United States invasion of Panama in December 1989: the night-time airdrop of 1,000 paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade occurred over Bashur, Iraq. It opened the northern front to combat operations and constituted the largest formation airdrop carried out by the United States since World War II. USAF C-17s have also been used to assist US allies transport military equipment, including Canadian armored vehicles to Afghanistan in 2003 and the redeployment of Australian forces in Australia and the Solomon Islands during the Australian-led military deployment to East Timor in 2006. In late September and early November 2006, USAF C-17s flew 15 Canadian Forces Leopard C2 tanks from Kyrgyzstan into Kandahar in support of the Afghanistan NATO mission.

A C-17 also accompanies the President of the United States on his visits to both domestic and foreign arrangements, consultations, and meetings. The C-17 is used to transport the Presidential Limousine and security detachments.^[49] There have been several occasions where a C-17 has been used to transport the President himself, temporarily gaining the Air Force One callsign while doing so.^[50]

There has been debate about follow-on orders for the C-17, with the Air Force requesting line shutdown, and members of Congress attempting to reinstate production. Furthermore, in FY2007, the Air Force requested $1.6 billion to deal with what it termed "excessive combat use" on operational airframes.^[51] However, in testimony before a House of Representatives subcommittee on air and land forces, General Arthur Lichte, USAF, the Commander of Air Mobility Command indicated extending production to another 15 aircraft, bringing the total to 205. Pending the delivery of the results of two studies in 2009, Lichte considers that the Air Force may have to keep the production line open for purchase of even more C-17s to satisfy airlift requirements.^[52] In February 2009 the USAF ordered 15 more C-17s which will bring its total to 205.^[40]

United Kingdom

Boeing has marketed the C-17 to many European nations including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The Royal Air Force has established an aim of having interoperability and some weapons and capabilities commonality with the United States Air Force. The UK's 1998 Strategic Defence Review identified a requirement for a strategic airlifter. The Short-Term Strategic Airlift (STSA) competition commenced in September of that year, however tendering was canceled in August 1999 with some bids identified by ministers as too expensive, including the Boeing/BAe C-17 bid, and others unsuitable.^[53] The project continued, with the C-17 seen as the favorite.^[53] In the light of continuing delays to the Airbus A400M program, the UK Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, announced in May 2000 that the RAF would lease four C-17s at an annual cost of £100 million^[51] from Boeing for an initial seven years with an optional two year extension. At this point the RAF would have the option to buy the aircraft or return them to Boeing. The UK committed to upgrading the C-17s in line with the USAF so that in the event of their being returned to Boeing the USAF could adopt them.

The first C-17 was delivered to the RAF at Boeing's Long Beach facility on 17 May 2001 and flown to RAF Brize Norton by a crew from No. 99 Squadron which had previously trained with USAF crews to gain competence on the type. The RAF's fourth C-17 was delivered on 24 August 2001. The RAF aircraft were some of the first to take advantage of the new center wing fuel tank.

The RAF declared itself delighted with the C-17 and reports began to emerge that they wished to retain the aircraft regardless of the A400M's progress. Although the C-17 fleet was to be a fallback for the A400M, the UK announced on 21 July 2004 that they had elected to buy their four C-17s at the end of the lease, even though the A400M appeared to be moving closer to production. They also announced there would be a follow-on order for one C-17, with possible additional purchases later.^[54] While the A400M is described as a "strategic" airlifter, the C-17 gives the RAF true strategic capabilities that it would not wish to lose, for example a maximum payload of 169,500 lb (77,000 kg) compared to the Airbus' 82,000 lb (37,000 kg).^[51]

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 4 August 2006 that they had ordered an additional C-17 and that the four aircraft on lease would be purchased at the end of the current contract in 2008. A fifth aircraft was delivered on 22 February 2008 and reported for duty on 7 April 2008 at Brize Norton air base in Oxfordshire.^[55] Due to fears that the A400M may suffer further delays, the MoD announced in 2006 that it planned to acquire three more C-17s, for a total of eight, with delivery in 2009-2010. On 26 July 2007, Defence Secretary Des Browne announced that the MoD intended to order a sixth C-17 to boost operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[56] On 3 December 2007, the MoD announced a contract with Boeing for a sixth C-17,^[57] which was handed over to the RAF on 11 June 2008.^[58] On 18 December 2009, Boeing confirmed that the RAF had ordered a seventh C-17, with delivery scheduled for December 2010.^[59][60]

In RAF service, the C-17 has not been given an official designation (e.g., C-130J referred to as Hercules C4 or C5) due to its leased status, but is referred to simply as the C-17 or "C-17A Globemaster".

Australia

An RAAF C-17 parked at Melbourne Airport, January 2009

Wing Commander Linda Corbould, commander of No. 36 Squadron RAAF, training in a USAF C-17

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) began investigating options to acquire heavy lift transport aircraft for strategic transport in 2005.^[61] In late 2005 the then Minister for Defence Robert Hill stated that the Australian Defence Force was considering such aircraft due to the limited availability of strategic airlift aircraft from partner nations and air freight companies. The C-17 was considered to be favoured over the A400M as it was a "proven aircraft" and was already in production. One major requirement from the RAAF was the ability to airlift the Army's new M1 Abrams main battle tanks; another requirement was immediate delivery. Though unstated, commonality with the USAF and the United Kingdom's RAF was also considered advantageous. The aircraft for the RAAF were ordered directly from the USAF production run, and are identical to American C-17 even in paint scheme, the only difference being the national markings. This allowed delivery to commence within nine months of commitment to the program.^[62]

On 2 March 2006, the Australian Government announced the purchase of three aircraft and one option with an entry into service date of 2006.^[51] In July 2006 a fixed price contract was awarded to Boeing to deliver four C-17s for US$780m (AUD$1bn).^[63] Australia also signed a US$80.7M contract to join the global 'virtual fleet' C-17 sustainment program^[64] and the RAAF's C-17s will receive the same upgrades as the USAF's fleet.^[65]

The Royal Australian Air Force took delivery of its first C-17 in a ceremony at Boeing's plant at Long Beach, California on 28 November 2006.^[66] Several days later the aircraft flew from Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii to Defence Establishment Fairbairn, Canberra, arriving on 4 December 2006. The aircraft was formally accepted in a ceremony at Fairbairn shortly after arrival.^[67] The second aircraft was delivered to the RAAF on 11 May 2007 and the third was delivered on 18 December 2007. The fourth Australian C-17 was delivered on 19 January 2008.^[68] All the Australian C-17s are operated by No. 36 Squadron and are based at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.^[69] The squadron is working towards reaching its full operational capability in mid-2011.^[64]

Australia's C-17s have supported ADF operations around the world. Tasks have included supporting Air Combat Group training deployments to the United States, transporting Royal Australian Navy Sea Hawk helicopters and making fortnightly missions to the Middle East to supply Australian forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The C-17s have also carried humanitarian supplies to Papua New Guinea during Operation Papua New Guinea Assist in 2007, supplies and South African Puma helicopters to Burma in 2008 following Cyclone Nargis,^[70] and relief supplies to Samoa following the 2009 earthquake.

Canada

Canadian Forces C-17 (CC-177) at Lake Front Airport, New Orleans

Canada has had a long-standing need for strategic airlift for humanitarian and military operations around the world. The Canadian Forces (CF) had followed a pattern similar to the Luftwaffe in using rented Antonovs and Ilyushins for many of their needs, including deploying the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka in 2005. The CF was forced to rely entirely on leased An-124 Ruslan for a deployment to Haiti in 2003, as well as a combination of leased Ruslans, Ilyushins and USAF C-17s for moving heavy equipment into Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces Future Strategic Airlifter Project was initiated in 2002 to study alternatives, including long-term leasing arrangements.^[71]

On 5 July 2006, the Canadian government issued a notice that it intended to negotiate directly with Boeing for the purchase of four airlifters.^[72] Then on 1 February 2007 Canada awarded a contract for four C-17s with delivery beginning in August 2007.^[73] Like Australia, Canada was granted airframes originally slated for the U.S. Air Force, to accelerate delivery.^[74]

Canadian Forces CC-177 Globemaster on approach to CFB Trenton

On 16 June 2007, the first Canadian C-17 rolled off the assembly line at Long Beach, California and into the paint hangar for painting and addition of Canadian markings including the national logo and air force roundel. The first Canadian C-17 made its initial flight on 23 July.^[75] It was turned over to Canada on 8 August,^[4] and participated at the Abbotsford International Airshow on 11 August prior to arriving at its new home base at 8 Wing, CFB Trenton, Ontario on 12 August.^[76] Its first operational mission was delivery of disaster relief to Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean.^[77] The second C-17 arrived at 8 Wing, CFB Trenton on 18 October 2007. The last of four aircraft was delivered in April 2008.^[78] The C-17 is officially designated CC-177 Globemaster III within the Canadian Forces.^[79] The aircraft are assigned to Canadian Forces Air Command's 429 Squadron based at CFB Trenton.

On April 14, 2010, a Canadian C-17 Globemaster III landed at Canadian Forces Station Alert, the world's most northerly airport.^[80]

NATO (Strategic Airlift Capability Program)

A number of NATO countries signed a letter of intent to purchase C-17s on 19 July 2006 at the 2006 Farnborough Airshow to participate in the joint purchase and operation of C-17s within NATO, a program called the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability.^[81] A further letter of intent was announced on 12 September 2006 that included a few other countries, some of which have since withdrawn.

The present members are Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, the United States, as well as two Partners for Peace countries Finland and Sweden.^[81]

The purchase is for two C-17s, and a third which is the US contribution to the pool, which is operated in the same fashion as the NATO AWACS aircraft.^[82] The AWACS aircraft are jointly manned by crew from NATO countries. The Aircraft are based at Papa Air Base in Hungary.

On 14 July 2009, Boeing delivered the first C-17 under NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program. The second and third C-17s were delivered in September and October 2009.^[83][84]

Other

The Qatar Emiri Air Force operates two Boeing C-17s. Boeing delivered Qatar's first C-17 on August 11, 2009 and the second on September 10, 2009.^[85]

In February 2009, the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement to purchase four C-17 airlifters.^[7] In January 2010, UAE signed a contract with Boeing for six C-17s (four C-17s in 2011, and two in 2012).^[86][87]

Future and potential operators

India

In June 2009, the Indian Air Force (IAF) selected the C-17 to fulfill its Very Heavy Lift Transport Aircraft requirement. If approved by the Indian Defense Ministry, the C-17 would replace the Ilyushin Il-76 as the IAF's largest heavy lift transport aircraft in service.^[88][89][90] In January 2010, the US Government received a request from India for 10 C-17s through the US Government's Foreign Military Sales program,^[91] and was approved by US Congress in June 2010.^[92] Signing of a contract for the sale is pending.^[93] On 23 June, the Indian Air Force successfully test-landed a USAF C-17 at the Gaggal Airport, India. This completed the IAF's C-17 trials.^[94] In August 2010, it was reported that the IAF is seeking to order a total of 16 C-17s.^[95]

Other military interest

During the summer 2008 it was reported that the South Korea had allocated funds for the purchase of three or four C-17-class airplanes for use in supporting expeditionary deployments.^[96]

Commercial interest

In the mid-1990s, McDonnell Douglas began to market the C-17 to commercial civilian operators, under the name MD-17.^[97] Due to its high projected fuel, maintenance and depreciation cost for a low-cycle military design in commercial service, as well as a limited market dominated by the An-124, very little interest was expressed. After McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing, the commercial version was renamed BC-17.^[98] However, the aircraft received no orders and Boeing stopped offering the BC-17 for sale.

Variants

• C-17A: The initial military airlifter version.

• C-17A "ER": Unofficial name for C-17As with extended range due to the addition of the center wing tank.^[45][99] This upgrade was incorporated in production beginning in 2001 with Block 13 aircraft.^[99]

• C-17B: Proposed tactical airlifter version. The design includes double-slotted flaps, an additional main landing gear on center fuselage, more powerful engines and other systems for shorter landing and take-off distances.^[100] Boeing offered the C-17B to the US military in 2007 for carrying the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) vehicles and other equipment.^[101]

Operators

C-17 Globemaster III Operators

RAF, RAAF and USAF C-17s and flight crews at RAF Brize Norton in June 2007

A training mission in Jan. 2007 over the Hawaiian Islands

A C-17 releases a barrage of flares. The wing-tip vortices can be seen in the flare smoke behind the aircraft.

A C-17 performs touch-and-go landings while another C-17 prepares for take-off

 Australia

• Royal Australian Air Force: 4 C-17ERs
  • No. 36 Squadron^[102]

 Canada

• Canadian Forces Air Command: 4 C-17ERs^[78]
  • 429 Transport Squadron, CFB Trenton ^[103]

NATO

• Heavy Airlift Wing: 3 in service,^[104] including 1 C-17 on loan from USAF.

 Qatar

• Qatari Air Force has 2 C-17A in use.^[6][105]

 United Arab Emirates

• United Arab Emirates Air Force (6 C-17A on order)^[87]

 United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force: has 6 C-17ERs is service (1 on order).
  • No. 99 Squadron, RAF Brize Norton

 United States

• United States Air Force has 192 total (71 C-17, 121 C-17ER) in inventory as of December 2009.^[60] 223 funded with 213 on order in June 2010.^[106]

Deliveries

Sources: C-17 Globemaster III Pocket Guide,^[107] Boeing IDS Major Deliveries^[108]

Notable accidents and incidents

C-17 on the runway at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan on 31 January 2009 after landing with landing gear retracted.

• On 10 September 1998, a U.S. Air Force C-17 (AF Serial No.96-0006) suffered a landing gear failure as it landed in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, a 3,800-foot runway, to deliver Keiko the whale. After receiving temporary repairs, it was flown to another city in Iceland for further repairs.^[109][110] The total repair bill topped $1 million.

• On 10 December 2003, a U.S. Air Force C-17 (AF Serial No. 98-0057) was hit by a SAM after take-off from Baghdad, Iraq. One engine was disabled and the aircraft returned for a safe landing.^[111] The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.^[112]

• On 6 August 2005, a U.S. Air Force C-17 (AF Serial No. 01-0196) ran off the runway at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan while attempting to land, destroying the airplane's nose and main landing gear. At the time, it was the most extensively damaged C-17 to date.^[113] A Boeing recovery team spent two months getting the aircraft ready to fly back to Boeing's Long Beach production facility.^[114] The five-day flight back to the United States had to be performed by a test pilot, because the temporary repairs caused numerous performance limitations.^[115] The aircraft repair was completed at Long Beach in October 2006 and the aircraft has reentered normal operations.

• On 30 January 2009, a U.S. Air Force C-17 (AF Serial No. 96-0002 - "Spirit of the Air Force") made a gear-up belly landing at Bagram Air Base.^[116][117] By late April 2009, the C-17 was ferried from Bagram AB to Nova Scotia for an overnight stay after making several stops along the way. It later flew to Boeing's plant in Long Beach, California, for more permanent repairs. It is expected to return to service once the repairs are completed. The USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation Board concluded that the main reason for the incident was the crew's failure to lower the landing gear as a consequence of omitting the pre-landing checklist.^[118]

• On 28 July 2010, a U.S. Air Force C-17 (AF Serial No. 00-0173 - "Spirit of the Aleutians") crashed on Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska during a training flight, killing all four aboard.^[119] It was practicing for the 2010 Arctic Thunder Air Show.^[120][121] The plane crashed near a railroad, and damaged tracks and disrupted rail operations.^[122] The cause of the accident is under investigation.^[123] This is the first deadly C-17 accident and its first major accident.^[122]

Specifications (C-17)

C-17 in an Aeromedical Evacuation configuration

Paratroopers dropping from a C-17 during a training exercise

Data from USAF fact sheet,^[3] Boeing,^[124][125] and AerospaceWeb^[126]

General characteristics

• Crew: 3: 2 pilots, 1 loadmaster
• Capacity:
  
  • 134 troops with palletized seats or
  • 102 troops with standard centerline seats or
  • 36 litter and 54 ambulatory patients or
  • Cargo, such as an M1 Abrams tank, three Strykers or 6 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles
• Payload: 170,900 lb (77,519 kg) of cargo distributed at max over 18 463L master pallets or a mix of palletized cargo and vehicles
• Length: 174 ft (53 m)
• Wingspan: 169.8 ft (51.75 m)
• Height: 55.1 ft (16.8 m)
• Wing area: 3,800 ft² (353 m²)
• Empty weight: 282,500 lb (128,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 585,000 lb (265,350 kg)
• Powerplant: 4× Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofans, 40,440 lbf (180 kN) each
• Fuel capacity: 35,546 US gal (134,556 L)

Performance

• Cruise speed: Mach 0.76 (450 knots, 515 mph, 830 km/h)
• Range: 2,420 nmi^[124] (2,785 mi, 4,482 km)
• Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,716 m)
• Max wing loading: 150 lb/ft² (750 kg/m²)
• Minimum thrust/weight: 0.277
• Takeoff run at MTOW: 7,600 ft (2,316 m)^[124]
• Landing distance: 3,500 ft (1,060 m)

See also

• Strategic airlift
• Airhead
  

Related development

• McDonnell Douglas YC-15
  

Comparable aircraft

• C-5 Galaxy
• C-141 Starlifter
• Antonov An-124
• Ilyushin Il-76
  

Related lists

• List of active Canadian military aircraft
• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• C-17 page on Boeing.com
• C-17 USAF fact sheet
• C-17 History page on Boeing.com
• C-17 page on GlobalSecurity.org
• C-17 detailed photographs on b-domke.de
• C-17 interior used for passenger transport
• C-17 political support site
• C-17 photos on Airliners.net

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