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.
The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.