Workers who man the C-17 production line at Boeing’s Long Beach, Calif., facility have gotten another reprieve. The Los Angeles Times reports that company officials told workers June 20 that it would use company money to keep the line going for at least six more months. The extra time would take it to 2010, which is when USAF thinks it would have funds for additional C-17s. Lawmakers may be ready to let the Air Force retire some of its older C-5s to make way for the new airlifter. USAF has asked to retire at least 30 of the worst actors in the C-5 fleet.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.