Boeing’s C-17 prototype, T-1, last week re-created its maiden flight in a ceremony at the company’ production plant in Long Beach Calif., 20 years to the day of its first sortie. “The first flight of T-1 ushered in a new era in military and humanitarian airlift,” said Bob Ciesla, Boeing C-17 program manager, in the company’s release. “There is no question that the C-17 has set the bar high.” In two decades of flying, C-17s have achieved a number of record-breaking milestones—more than any other airlifter in history, according to Boeing—and logged more than two million flying hours and set 33 world records. T-1 first flew on Sept. 15, 1991. Boeing delivered the first operational C-17 to the 17th Airlift Squadron at now-JB Charleston, S.C., on July 14, 1993. Two years later, the C-17 fleet began initial operations. Boeing has delivered 235 C-17s to the Air Force (211) and foreign customers (24) to date. (Includes Wright-Patterson release by Bill Hancock)
This year’s Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting buzzed with talk of countering the rapidly evolving drone threat facing the entire U.S. military, including the Air Force. Leaders and defense industry officials discussed the need for new approaches to procurement and employment of a new class of these…
