Boeing delivered the second C-17 transport to the United Arab Emirates in a ceremony at the company’s plant in Long Beach, Calif. The UAE Air Force and Air Defense’s first C-17 “delivered just one month ago, has already logged several missions. And that’s what the C-17 is all about—being ready to perform any mission, anywhere, on a moment’s notice,” said Rich Cutting, Boeing’s UAE airlift program manager during the June 10 handover of the second airframe. The Persian Gulf state has a total of six C-17s on order, four of which are scheduled for delivery this year, with the final two airframes on course for delivery in 2012. In addition to the C-17s, UAE has ordered 12 new-build Lockheed Martin C-130Js from the United States to meet is medium transport needs. (Boeing release)
The Space Force is considering launching up to five satellites to cislunar space as soon as 2029 to help lay the foundation for a future proliferated constellation between Earth and the moon.