Air Mobility Command wants to make a “homogenous” fleet of C-17 aircraft across its total force to have consistent block capabilities by coordinating upgrades, AMC Commander Gen. Carlton Everhart said Sept. 16 at ASC15. The command has made “great progress” in upgrading its C-17 fleet so far, and it expects to push the C-17 fleet beyond its original lifespan of 30,000 flight hours to a new goal of 42,000 hours. At the same time, Everhart said he is worried about pushing the C-17s too far. He said he plans to mitigate that by moving more cargo into civilian fleets. The Air Force does not currently plan to have a service life extension program for the C-17 fleet, but that could change depending on future operational needs, he said.
The Air Force has awarded a $29.7 million contract to engine startup Beehive Industries to complete work on a new disposable jet engine meant to power drones and munitions. The contract is just the latest step in the service’s effort to massively scale up production of cheap new missiles and…
