When the Air Force’s newest C-17 airlifter arrived April 21 at its home at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., from the Boeing production facility at Long Beach, Calif., it joined the unit that also operates the oldest C-17 in USAF’s inventory. The 62nd Airlift Wing picked up the oldest C-17 from Charleston AFB, S.C., where it first flew in 1993. With this latest of the new strategic airlifters, the 62nd, and its Air Force Reserve Command associate 446th AW, now operate and maintain 51 C-17s. (62nd AW photo release)
After years of serving as the bill-payer for other Pentagon priorities, munitions stockpiles are poised to get a major boost from the $150 billion reconciliation package unveiled by lawmakers in Congress this week, along with the defense industrial base to...