A Seven Aircraft Fudge Factor: The C-17 is in such heavy demand and working so well, in fact, that the fleet is being worn out at a dramatic rate. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, speaking at a Capitol Hill seminar Wednesday, said the C-17s are being used up at a rate “60 percent faster” than was envisioned, hence the addition of seven new C-17s in the Air Force 2007 unfunded priorities list. Wynne added that the business term for this situation is “accelerated depreciation.”
An Iranian ballistic missile attack on a key U.S. air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. warplanes, people familiar with the matter confirmed to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
