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 Air Force is putting emphasis on operations and maintenance and research and development. The Army and Navy want to go on a buying spree. The Space Force budget is approaching and may yet surpass the Marine Corps. And non-service “Defense-Wide” funding got the biggest bump of all.