The head of Air Mobility Command envisions just one type of aircraft will handle the Air Force’s strategic airlift needs when the venerable C-17 and C-5 transport jets are replaced, though the exact nature of that aircraft is yet to be determined.
Next-generation airlift
The head of the U.S. Transportation doesn’t want to wait to start planning on a new airlifter to replace both the C-5 and C-17 fleets, which serve as the command's "workhorses."
The Air Force cannot afford its three marquee air combat and mobility programs simultaneously, but should be given the resources to do so, Secretary Frank Kendall said.
A recent $10 billion fleetwide upgrade to the Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5M Galaxy, has not resulted in a higher mission capable rate—the huge airlifter was at 46 percent in 2023, down from 52 percent in 2022. Officials say the struggles are mostly due ...
