Trends in military operations in the post Cold War environment have placed greater emphasis on the airlift assets of the world's air forces, particularly strategic assets. This has taken place because of increased operations tempo and the home-basing of formerly forward-deployed forces and equipment.
 | The C-17 has proved itself in contingency operations worldwide and it was used extensively during operation Joint Endeavour in Bosnia early in 1996 |
Peacekeeping and humanitarian operations have become more commonplace than wartime contingencies and have gained increased news media and political visibility. The same budgetary and political pressures behind the home-basing of forces also have accelerated a push for acquisition reform. New weapon systems and even modifications or upgrades of existing systems must be cost-effective to survive in any great numbers.
The McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III, completing only its second year of operational missions, is an example of both trends.
 | Powered by four Pratt & Whitney F-117-PW-100 turbofan engines, the C-17's short-field landing capabilities, ground manoeuvrability, ease of loading and maintenance reliability have added to its usefulness in moving cargo into space-constrained airfields |
Proving itself in contingency operations worldwide, the C-17 was used extensively during operation Joint Endeavour in war-torn Bosnia early in 1996. Because of its operational success, the overall need for mobility and the pressure to reduce acquisition costs, the C-17 earned seven-year contracts worth $16 billion from the US Department of Defense for 80 additional aeroplanes. The US Air Force and US Congress agreed that purchasing the aeroplanes and engines in multi-year contracts saved more than $1 billion.
During a signing ceremony for the contracts at the Pentagon on May 31, 1996, Secretary of the US Air Force Dr Sheila Widnall said: "This is an historic day for the US Air Force, McDonnell Douglas, Pratt & Whitney, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congress. The C-17 programme has shattered decades-old paradigms of how we develop and buy weapons systems."
Flying more than a quarter of the missions for support of the United Nations peacekeepers in Bosnia, the C-17 brought in approximately 50 per cent of the cargo. Included in the cargo were sections for the pontoon bridge across the Sava River, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and a self-propelled 155mm howitzer with a support vehicle and trailer. The C-17s also brought in almost 4,000 passengers.
The C-17s were deployed from the United States to Germany to fly these missions. They had a departure reliability rate of more than 98 per cent and a mission-capable rate of more than 85 per cent, despite being away from home station and operating in severe winter weather.
The US decision in November 1995 to purchase a further 80 C-17s will increase the US Air Force fleet to 120. "This contract is an important day for McDonnell Douglas," said Don Kozlowski, senior vice president of Military Transport Aircraft that produces the C-17, "but it's also important to the Air Mobility Command and the American taxpayer since they will be getting the C-17 at a better price than under the year-by-year budgeting system. By contracting for all 80 aeroplanes at once, we are able to better manage our workforce, as can our suppliers. We can invest in process and production improvements that are costly up front but will pay off in the long run. And we can schedule production work and purchasing and delivery of parts and sub-assemblies efficiently. It's a more commercial approach to building aeroplanes."
 | Flying more than a quarter of the missions for support of the United Nations peacekeepers in Bosnia, the C-17 brought in approximately 50 per cent of the cargo |
US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ron Fogleman said of the seven-year pacts: "These commitments are important for the US Air Force and for the other military services, the warfighting commanders in chief and the nation. The C-17 satisfies the Department of Defense's most significant shortfall in strategic lift and supplies the joint team with the most flexible, responsive and capable air mobility ever developed."
The seven-year contracts begin in financial year 1997, with a ramp up to a maximum of 15 aeroplanes a year. McDonnell Douglas receives $14.2 billion and Pratt & Whitney signed a separate contract for the engines. The contract contains a six-year option that would move the five aeroplanes scheduled for financial year 2003 to earlier in the programme.
McDonnell Douglas has been given permission to market the C-17 for foreign military sales. Sales are expected to a number of countries, with as many as 50 expected to go over-seas eventually. Leading initial candidates are Japan, Saudi Arabia and the NATO/WEU nations. The maintainability and reliability of the air-craft means that small fleets or mixed fleets of C-17s and other aircraft such as the C-130 and FLA are feasible, with as few as four C-17s adding capability and flexibility to foreign air forces. And, as cost per airline continues to fall, it will fit into more budgets worldwide.
The company also is planning a commercial version, the MD-17, to meet the needs of an expanding air cargo market worldwide. A military transport/tanker version, the KC-17, also is envisaged. A command and control derivative for battlefield management or national emergency command post duty is feasible. Any additional US Air Force, FMS or commercial sales would either add to the current schedule or extend production beyond 2003.
 | The US decision in November 1995 to purchase a further 80 C-17s will increase the US Air Force fleet to 120 |
The C-17 has been used to evacuate citizens to safety from a civil war in Liberia, fly US Army multiple launch rocket systems, support equipment and troops directly from the United States to small airfields in South Korea and fly hurricane relief supplies to the Caribbean.
The cargo compartment has a more efficient cross-section than the C-5 and four times the cargo capacity of the C-130. It is operated by a crew of two pilots and one loadmaster who operates a built-in computerised work station. It has a quad-redundant fly-by-wire electronic system with mechanical backup. The cargo compartments can be reconfigured in less than an hour, even while in flight.
The USAF C-17 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F-117-PW-100 turbofan engines. FMA versions could be powered by alternate engines. Its short-field landing capabilities, ground manoeuvrability, ease of loading and maintenance reliability have added to its usefulness in moving cargo into space-constrained air-fields. Up to eight C-17s can be off-loaded in the same space as three C-5s because of the aeroplane's size, ability to turn sharply and even back up. Engine-running off-loads add to its combat efficiency.
 | The C-17 has evacuated citizens to safety from a civil war in Liberia, flown US Army multiple launch rocket systems, supported equipment and troops from the US to small airfields in South Korea and flown hurricane relief supplies to the Caribbean |
To date, 29 production C-17s have been delivered to the US Air Force and most are based with the initial operational unit, the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, SC.
