And Then There was One

Boeing received $693 million to supply five C-17s to the Air Force by March 2013, announced the Pentagon on Monday. These aircraft will bring the Air Force’s total C-17 buy to date to 223 airframes, leaving only one more C-17 for the service to order. This newest contract covers the final five (aircraft 219 to 223) of the 10 C-17s for which Congress appropriated funds in Fiscal 2010. The Air Force ordered the first five of these airplanes (aircraft 214 to 218) last May. Congress authorized the Air Force to procure a total of 223 C-17s. However, after the loss of a C-17 in a fatal crash in Alaska in July 2010, lawmakers added $225 million to the defense appropriations in Fiscal 2012 to replace that airframe. This means the Air Force actually will be procuring 224 C-17s, once the order for that final aircraft is placed. Boeing builds the C-17 in Long Beach, Calif. (DOD’s Jan. 23 list of major contracts)