Australian Department of Defense, The Air Force has taken delivery of its second C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during a ceremony at the Boeing facility at Long Beach, California.
The second aircraft was delivered on Friday 11 May (US time), one month ahead of the initial schedule. This highlights the exceptional level of co-operation between the Boeing Company, the United States Air Force and the Defence Materiel Organisation in the management of this Foreign Military Sale acquisition project.
The aircraft is immediately providing support to the Australian Defence Force by transporting newly acquired Army Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats and their support equipment, along with C-17 logistical equipment back to RAAF Base Amberley. The aircraft is expected to arrive in Australia on 19 May 2007.
The first RAAF C-17 aircraft arrived in December 2006 and delivery of the entire four-aircraft fleet will be completed by mid-2008. The fleet of four C-17 aircraft will provide a quantum leap in the ADF’s ability to rapidly airlift personnel; stores; and equipment, particularly outsized equipment, in support of military or humanitarian operations.
The C-17 is able to provide a rapid and responsive global airlift capability. It has a load carrying capacity of almost four times that of the C-130 Hercules.
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