The Air Force has let the contract with Boeing for five more C-17s, bringing its total order so far to 218, just five shy of completing its 223-aircraft program of record. Boeing earlier this month received $963 million for these five aircraft. Jerry Drelling, Boeing C-17 spokesman, told the Daily Report that these aircraft are part of the 10 for which Congress appropriated funds in Fiscal 2010. He said Boeing expects the contract for the Air Force’s five final C-17s around September. As of earlier this month, the Air Force had taken delivery of 210 C-17s. (See DOD’s May 16 list of major contracts.)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design the Air Force said.