The Royal Australian Air Force has received its first new C-17 airlifter from prime contractor Boeing during a ceremony at the company’s Long Beach, Calif., production facility Tuesday, according to a Boeing release. The RAAF C-17 is the latest version—Block 17—and displays a Black Stallion on its tail to signify the No. 36 Squadron, based near Brisbane at Amberley. The new airlifter will reach its home on Dec. 6 after a stopover in the Australian capital of Canberra.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.