Will the Air Force see 222 C-17s? That’s the number the service has often stated as being the minimum required to fulfill airlift requirements. The currently funded number is 180 C-17s. But Jumper said, “anything beyond 180 is part of the discussion” for both the capabilities study and the QDR. The answer could center on whether the Pentagon does decide to incorporate tankers into the lift-carrying equation.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
