Boeing C 17 Globemaster III

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified congress of the possible sale of a sixth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to Australia for $300 million.

Canberra has requested the aircraft, up to four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines and a Northrop Grumman An/AAQ-24V (13) large aircraft infrared counter-measures (LAIRCM) system, the DSCA said. In addition, the deal will include spare parts, training, documentation and test equipment.

"Australia currently has a heavy airlift capability comprising five C-17As," the DSCA said.
"This additional C-17 will further improve Australia's capability to rapidly deploy on support of global coalition operations and will greatly enhanced its ability to lead regional humanitarian/peacekeeping operations."

The only other Asia Pacific nation to order the C-17 is India, which has ordered ten units.

Australia will acquire a sixth Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft in a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal valued at A$280 million ($297 million).

"The purchase of the sixth C-17A will double the number of C-17A aircraft available for operations at any one time from two to four," said defence minister Stephen Smith in a statement.

The new aircraft will arrive in Australia early next year. In November 2011, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale.

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© Royal Australian Air Force

"The C-17A aircraft can lift very large and heavy cargoes over long distances providing a significant contribution to Australia's ability to reach and respond to events," said Smith. "A sixth C-17 will give the government increased options to support a wider range of contingencies that might require heavy-lift aircraft and will extend the life of the C-17 fleet by reducing the use of each aircraft."
Smith listed a number of missions that the Royal Australian Air Force's C-17 fleet has performed, including domestic and international humanitarian missions. The aircraft have also played an important role supporting Australian operations in Afghanistan.

Boeing Looks Afar for New C-17 Jet Sales

Boeing Co., racing to drum up sales of its C-17 to avoid shutting down production of the military-cargo plane, believes new orders may emerge in coming months from the Middle East or Asia, a senior executive said.

"Our hope is that future sales occur [in those regions] this year," Bob Ciesla, program manager for the C-17 Globemaster III, said in an interview this week.

Mr. Ciesla declined to discuss specific countries that may order the $200 million to $270 million plane, but a Boeing union official said one country showing interest is Saudi Arabia.

Boeing is pinning its hopes on ...

• la reception par la RAF (oui, ça existe ! ) de son 8ème C-17 (oui, ... ces avions ne sont pas des fictions)
  

Boeing has delivered its eighth C-17 strategic transport to the Royal Air Force, less than two months after the UK finalised its latest order for the type.

Handed over at Boeing's Long Beach final assembly site in California on 16 May, aircraft ZZ178 will enter use soon with 99 Sqn at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The unit has logged more than 74,000 flight hours with its C-17s since fielding its first example in 2001, with many of these having been accumulated in support of the UK's military involvement in Afghanistan.

• frappés comme ils sont du syndrome NIH ("Not Invented Here" ),
  
• tellement ils se croient les seuls au monde à posséder des connaissances, alors qu'ils brillent dans toute la splendeur de leur ignardise.
  

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to acquire the new aircraft on 8 February, and a roughly £200 million ($316 million) contract was signed late the following month. Prior to its allocation to the RAF, the transport had been scheduled to enter use with the US Air Force, which deferred the delivery slot to its ally.

"We have the capability to deliver crucial supplies to the front lines with little notice, or to transport injured troops home with a better chance of survival because of the capability and flexibility of the C-17," says Wg Cdr David Manning, officer commanding 99 Sqn.

• tactique, stratégique, ou opérant dans des conditions charitables / humanitaires,
  
• -- dans l'univers mystérieux mais réel,.... le grand bleu indéfini & indéfinissable, & / ou le "brown-out" impénétrable, où tout est invisible ou mirage, mais qui existe, .... --
  
• au-delà de l'appel du devoir / "beyond the call of duty", ..... où aucun Homme Politique, aucun Chef d'Etat, Président de Pays, ou autre Leader politique, aucun Chef des Armées, aucun officier ... ne peut donner d'ordre d'instruction ou d'interdiction, où seul le Capitaine / le Commandant de Bord soit maître, avec ou après Dieu (c'est selon),
  

LONG BEACH, Calif., 19 May 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the United Kingdom's eighth [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] to the Royal Air Force (RAF) today at the company's final assembly facility in Long Beach.

The RAF C-17s are operated by 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton. The first RAF C-17s entered service in 2001 and have accrued over 74,000 flight hours. The UK Ministry of Defence ordered additional airlifters for delivery in 2008 and 2010 and placed the order for its eighth C-17 in March.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a large [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]. Featuring the ability to carry 170,900 lbs of cargo with a range of 2,785 miles, C-17s have been used in many military and humanitarian missions.

C-17s are used to support Operation Herrick, the transport of equipment and troops to Afghanistan. RAF C-17s also delivered relief supplies following earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and provided humanitarian relief following floods in Pakistan. RAF C-17s are supported through the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program, a Performance-Based Logistics agreement.

Boeing has delivered 242 C-17s worldwide, with 216 on active duty for the U.S. Air Force, Guard and Reserve units. A total of 26 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. Ind also ordered the aircraft, with 10 C-17s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014