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Air Force formally has awarded Boeing a contract valued at $2 billion to produce 10 additional C-17 strategic transports—carrying through with a Congressional mandate written into the Fiscal 2007 defense bill. Boeing spokesperson Kerry Gildea said the additional aircraft are “already factored into Boeing’s C-17 production plan.” Coupling those 10 USAF airframes with international orders means the production line will run into late 2009. However, company officials have warned that if USAF—or Congress—wants more C-17s, the time to say so is now.
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.