The C-17 Globemaster III is the latest version of the highly flexible strategic military transport aircraft, adapted for the rapid deployment of troops to major military bases or for strategic transportation directly to forward bases, and the aircraft can also perform tactical transportation and airdrop missions when necessary. This inherent flexibility and performance has helped the U.S. military greatly improve its ability to move troops by air around the globe. With its combination of strategic and tactical airlift capabilities, the C-17 is currently the only transport aircraft in the world that can accommodate both strategic and tactical missions.
Introduction
The C-17 GlobalMaster III is a new transport aircraft developed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) for the U.S. Air Force, featuring an upper monoplane, four-engine, T-tail, and rear-unloading wrench. The fuselage length is 53 meters, height is 16.8 meters, wingspan is 50.3 meters, external dimensions are comparable with C-141. Maximum take-off weight is 263 tons and maximum load is 150 tons. With 75.8 tons of load on board, the C-17 can take off from a 2,320-meter runway and land on a 915-meter airstrip. The aircraft has advanced performance and has demonstrated excellent combat capability in many local wars since it was equipped. The production line of the C-17 was in danger of being shut down because the U.S. military stopped ordering new C-17s and foreign customers were not ordering enough. in February 2009, the U.S. Air Force purchased a certain number of additional C-17s, which eased this crisis. Boeing is trying to seek more domestic and foreign orders to keep the production line alive after the end of the U.S. military order in 2012.
Development
As the next-generation strategic transport aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Mobility Command (Air?Mobility?Command), the C-17?has a long story behind it. Developing any new military aircraft is both time-consuming and expensive, and the development of the C-17 has taken the longest time in U.S. history, from winning a development contract in 1981 to completing full flight testing in 1995, *** after 14 years; and in terms of development funding, it is currently the third most expensive military aircraft in the U.S., losing out to the E-3 Airborne Early Warning Aircraft and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. The development of the C-17 has been a major step forward in the development of the U.S. military aircraft. The development of the C-17 dates back to 1971, when the U.S. often had to transport thousands of troops around the globe in strategic transport planes because of wars or natural disasters, and the mainstay of Air Mobility Command's transportation at that time was the Lockheed-designed and manufactured 265 C-141 Starlifters (Starlifter), which were put into service in 1964. ). The original design life of the Starlifter was ?30,000 flight hours. Later, the fuselage was lengthened due to the USAF's desire to increase transport capacity, and analysis at the time showed that the fatigue life of the fuselage could be up to ?45,000 flight hours. However, due to the heavy training missions and frequent high-speed, low-altitude flights, damage to the under-wing skins has accumulated rapidly, and the original design life will be expired earlier than planned. However, due to heavy training missions and frequent high-speed, low-flying missions, damage to the under-wing skin was accumulating rapidly and the original design service life was expected to expire prematurely, coupled with cracks in the main wing beams and cockpit window frames, which necessitated restrictions on C-141 flights, testing the Mobility Command's strategic transport capability. The original manufacturer, Lockheed, had proposed plans for a life extension and reopening of the?C-5B?production line, but neither was in line with the Pentagon's thinking.?
In 1971, the U.S. Air Force proposed the Advanced Military Short Takeoff and Landing Transport (Advanced?Military?STOL?Transport), which was required to be able to transport large items directly to the battlefield, and the result of this demand was the Boeing?YC-14 and the McDonnell Douglas?YC-14. Both were capable of carrying up to 150 soldiers or 36.7 tons of cargo, and could take off and land on runways up to 572 meters in length. Both airplanes use short takeoff and landing techniques, with the YC-14?using blown?air and the YC-15?using blown double-slot-ted flaps to increase lift. Boeing's YC-14, which first flew on August 9, 1976, was fitted with two General Electric CF6-50D turbofan engines of 23,133 kilograms thrust; McDonnell Douglas' YC-15, which first flew on August 26, 1975, was fitted with four Pratt & Whitney CF6-50D turbofans of 7,257 kilograms thrust each; and McDonnell Douglas' YC-15, which first flew on August 26, 1975, was fitted with four Pratt & Whitney CF6-50D engines of 7,257 kilograms thrust each. The C-130 was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 turbofan engines with a thrust of 7,257 kilograms each. However, neither of these models was later actually produced as continued production of the ?C-130H? was sufficient to meet USAF requirements, but the YC-15?s experience clearly helped McDonnell Douglas later when the USAF came up with the ?C-X? requirement.
Development
Presentation of Draft Requirements
In 1980?February?the USAF presented a Draft Requirement (Request?For?Proposal) for a ?C-X?Heavy Transport, and in October?a formal document was presented, with the new transport taking on a strategic transport mission, first supporting the ?C-5?and ?C-141, and finally replacing the ?C-X?Heavy Transport. Requirements state that the new transport aircraft must have the same short-field takeoff and landing capability as the C-130; have landing gear and high lift to allow takeoffs from a 2,438-meter runway and landings from a 915-meter runway when fully loaded; have a fully loaded range of at least 4,443 kilometers; and be capable of accommodating large items, such as the M1, inside the fuselage. such as an M1 main battle tank; the aircraft must be able to enter and exit a crowded tarmac at will and be able to back up a slope of ?2%? with a full load and two-fifths fuel. of the ramp. Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas all came up with designs for the ?C-X?, with Boeing's design configuration being a three-engine transport, and Lockheed's design being very similar in appearance to the ?C-141.? Although Lockheed's Georgia facility had more experience in building transports, it was McDonnell Douglas that was selected when the USAF announced its final decision on August 28, 1981. In September of that year, Lockheed, which had lost out, proposed to remanufacture the ?44?C-5, which would not only have a faster delivery time but would also be cheaper than the ?C-17, an idea that was backed by the chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee (Senate ?armed ?services ?committee).
Starting design work on the ?C-X?
In 1982, the USAF procured ?50?remanufactured ?C-5Bs, and ?60?McDonnell Douglas ?KC-10A?extended dual-purpose refueling/transport planes, while long-term transportation needs were studied by Congress to appease members of Congress, each of whom is a strong proponent of the transports! -- as long as the planes were built in their constituencies. As a consolation to McDonnell Douglas, the Air Force also set aside some of the money to begin design work on the ?C-X? ahead of schedule and gave it the number ?C-17. McDonnell Douglas named the ?C-17? in ?1983? the Globemaster, a name that fit in with the company's usual nomenclature, such as ?C-54? for ?Skymaster, C-118? for ? Liftmaster, C-133? for?Cargomaster.
Completion of basic design
In 1984 the basic design of the?C-17? was completed, and a full-size model of the cargo plus cockpit was well received by the Air Force.1984?September?11?to?20?1984, the U.S. Air Force, with an active-duty loadmaster of transport aircraft, responded to the needs of the Army and the Marine Corps for the use of the aircraft. Army and Marine Corps utilization requirements, to conduct cargo bay loading tests. There were 11 combinations of test loads, with typical loads including: 1) two armored personnel carriers, two five-ton trucks plus two-ton semi-trailers, and three jeeps; 2) three AH-1S Cobra helicopters, and three OH-58C Kiowa helicopters. In December 1985, McDonnell Douglas received funding totaling $3.4 billion, and the C-17 entered a full-scale development phase to build six test aircraft, including the prototype. In 1986, a congressional assessment of transport aircraft needs concluded that the U.S. military must have the capability to move 35.68 million tons per kilometer per day. The U.S. military airlift force consists of the Military Airlift Command's strategic transport aircraft, the additional C-5Bs and KC-10As, the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve, the Civil Reserve Airlift Force, and the Air National Guard. Civil?Reserve?Air?Fleet), can only carry ?24.86?million tons/km, a shortfall of about 30 percent that will have to be made up by future C-17s.
Political interference from Congress
While the need for a new transport aircraft was decided, political interference from Congress remained a constant presence, as the airlines were struggling and members of Congress had to assist them in getting rid of old Boeing?747s? and the military became the perfect resource recovery center. During Reagan's administration from 1981 to 1987, the 105th Military Airlift Wing and the New York Air Force were to use used Boeing 747s (C-19s), but the 747s could not land in combat zones and could not transport large items, causing the U.S. Air Force to be displeased, and the 105th Wing was to use the 747s. 105th?Wing received the?C-5A, while design work on the?C-17?continued slowly. By April 1988, the C-17's estimated weight had increased by 8.2% over the design target weight, and it was unable to meet one of the contractual performance requirements: due to the increased weight, the C-17's range was reduced from the contracted 9,098 kilometers to less than 8,700 kilometers. However, it still meets the contractual requirement of flying 4,443 km without refueling at a cruising speed of 833 km while carrying 75.7 tons. In August 1988, the Pentagon fought off congressional and departmental opposition to the C-17 by refusing to terminate its procurement program, effectively putting an end to the C-17. The Department of Defense (DoD) maintained its original procurement target of 210 aircraft, with production peaking at 29 aircraft in 1993, and the C-17's Initial Operational Capability (IOC) establishment date, when the first squadron of 12 aircraft became mission ready, was changed from 1992 to 1992, when the first squadron of 12 aircraft became mission ready. It was delayed from April 1992 to September 1992, then to May 1993, and finally to January 1995, when the first squadron of 12 aircraft became mission-capable.
First flight
The prototype C-17 (No. T-1, 87-0025) finally flew on September 15, 1991, after a number of setbacks. The first production aircraft also took to the skies on May 18, 1992. With the end of test flights and the move to series production, McDonnell Douglas planned to build at least 12 C-17s per year. On February 5, 1993, the U.S. Central Army announced that the C-17 would be given the name "Globemaster III" because in the late 1940s Douglas had produced the C-74 (Globemaster?) and the C-74 (Globemaster?). 74 (Globemaster I) and the C-124 (Globemaster II). General Hansford Johnson, former commander of the U.S. Air Transportation Command, told the Congressional Armed Services Committee that if the Air Force had been equipped with the C-17 by the time of the Gulf War in 1991, it would have been able to improve its ability to transport equipment and soldiers to the battlefield by 20 to 35 percent. of the speed of transportation of equipment and soldiers to the battlefield. Thus, despite the collapse of the Soviet Union and Clinton's sharp cuts in military spending, the C-17 program was preserved for a reason. In 1990, with the end of the Cold War and the U.S. government's inability to solve the deficit, the U.S. military began a reduction program. The Department of Defense announced in April of that year that it would reduce the number of C-17s scheduled to be purchased from 210 to 120, a decision that was ironically followed a few weeks later by the largest Desert Shield mission in history, which desperately needed strategic transportation capacity. 1999 Kosovo War After the Kosovo war in 1999, the Department of Defense recommended in a review that Congress authorize the procurement of 60 additional aircraft, bringing the total fleet to 180, in light of the U.S. military's lack of airlift capacity. In August 1991, pilots of the USAF's first C-17 transport squadron, the 437th Wing's 17th Transport Squadron at Charleston AFB, S.C., began training in C-17 simulators, and in early 1992, the 17th Squadron began phasing out its C-141 missions. In May 1993, the 17th Squadron took delivery of its first C-17, and Charleston AFB built an additional 27.4-meter-wide, 1,067-meter-long, unpaved runway in order to practice rapid landings, which had never been flown by a C-141 before. the sky, the airplane performed flawlessly."
Features
The C-17?has a conventional layout for a large transport aircraft. The wing is a cantilevered upper monoplane with a leading edge swept back angle of?25° and a NASA?wingtip winglet height of?2.90?meters. Cantilevered T-shaped tail. Vertical stabilizer surface and fuselage connection forward with small dorsal fin, embedded rudder is divided into upper and lower sections, elevator is divided into two sections. The vertical tail has a special design with an internal tunnel-like space for one maintenance person to climb through to perform maintenance on the horizontal tail above. The hydraulically retractable front three-point landing gear is free to be lowered in a reliable gravity emergency. The front landing gear is two-wheeled and the main landing gear is ?6? wheeled. The front landing gear is forward into the fuselage, and the main landing gear is rotated 90°? inward into the fairings on both sides of the fuselage. Can be used on both paved and unpaved runways. The landing gear is fitted with carbon brakes. The fuselage is 53 meters long, 16.8 meters high, and has a wingspan of 50.3 meters, comparable to that of the C-141. Maximum takeoff weight is 263 tons. C-17 is the U.S. Army's most advanced large-scale strategic transport aircraft in service, but also the world's most advanced comprehensive performance of large transport aircraft. the C-17's maximum loading capacity of more than 70 tons, can transport, including the main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other large-scale ground main battle equipment, and its effective mission radius of 4,000 kilometers or so, the maximum transport distance of up to 8,000 kilometers. the C-17 transport aircraft has another feature that is Despite being a large transport aircraft in terms of loading capacity, it does not have high requirements for airport takeoff and landing, which are similar to those of the C-130 medium transport aircraft. This means that the C-17 can land on field airfields or even dirt runways, and it can perform both strategic and tactical transportation missions.? The C-17?has set many world aviation records with its advanced performance right out of the gate.The C-17?transport aircraft has set altitude climb and speed records in the cargo category?22?times in?1993-1994.At the end of 2001, the C-17?set?13?new aviation records at Edwards Air Force Base in the U.S. The most recent records are:-loading of cargo and transporting of cargo. The most recent records were: - Maximum altitude with a payload of ?1,000 to 40,000 kg; Maximum altitude with no payload; - Maximum payload to ?2,000 meters; and Maximum altitude with no payload in stable, sustained level flight. In order to minimize technical risk in the C-17 development program, McDonnell Douglas maximized the use of proven or already available advanced technologies. For example, the C-17 follows the advanced composite structure and wingtip winglet technology used in the DC-10; the engine is the same as that used on the Boeing 757; and the C-17 has a new engine for the C-17's airborne flights. ?C-17 for aerial refueling
[3]PW2040?s developmental version; the advanced cockpit used on the ?MD-11, F-18? and Boeing ?757/767? airplanes; and in particular the blown flap technology, supercritical airfoils, thrust reversers and leveling displays that have been validated on the ?YC-15? airplanes. But in integrating these advanced technologies, McDonnell Douglas also encountered considerable difficulties. The C-17 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney PW2040 turbofan engines, U.S. Army No. F117-PW-100, the predecessor of the PW2037, which Pratt & Whitney began development of in December 1979 with 17,418 kilograms of thrust. It was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in December 1983, and was installed on the Boeing 757 in December 1984. 1988 saw the completion of Pratt & Whitney's thrust upgrade, which increased thrust to ?18,915 kilograms and gave it the new model number ?PW2040. 1988 saw it certified by the military for installation on the C-17. The engine was certified for installation on the C-17 in December 1988, by which time it had accumulated millions of flight hours of reliable and durable service. The engines are mounted under the front of the wing by cantilevered pylon hangers, each of which consists of several cast-aluminum stubs attached to the wing to provide a continuous load path between the external mounts and the wing. Because of the close proximity of the mounts to the engine, titanium alloy is the main material used for strength and temperature considerations. the C-17 engine has a thrust reverser, the cowling is of the slides backward double-cowling type, with an opening between the two cowlings through which the engine exhaust is directed forward by 45° when the thrust reverser is activated. When reverse thrust is activated, the engine exhaust is directed through this opening to the upper front at 45°? When reverse thrust is activated, the engine exhaust is directed through this opening to the front and upwards by 45°, so that it does not blow up any gravel or dust on the ground. In addition, unloading or ground work is not interfered with while the engine is running. The reverse thrust unit also gives the C-17 a new ground handling capability, allowing it to perform a 180-degree turn on a 27.4-meter wide runway, and to back up on a slope with a 2% incline at 2.25 g. The C-17 is also able to operate on an incline of 2%, and can also operate on an incline of 2%. on a slope with an inclination of ?2%? The reverse thrust unit could be activated even when the airplane was stationary, with no problem of engine overheating. The C-17 utilizes blown flap technology, in which the exhaust flow from the engine is directed under the wing, through the flap hinges, and flows to the top and bottom of the flaps. According to the results of flight tests on the ?YC-15?, when the flaps are deflected downward, the engine exhaust flow generates reaction lift and circulation lift, enabling the aircraft to land quickly at a lower approach airspeed (?215? km/hour) and a greater rate of descent (?4.6? meters per second); with the leading-edge slit wing, when fully extended, provides maximum lift and stall characteristics.? One particular difference between the C-17 and the C-141 it would replace was the ability to make short emergency landings on unimproved surfaces, if necessary. The prototype test pilot had stated that the C-17 landed like a fighter jet, so the landing gear had to be exceptionally strong and vibration-resistant. The main landing gear shock strut in addition to the traditional oil and gas pressure shock absorption, but also the front and rear double strut configuration, each strut with three main wheels, landing by the rear of the longer shock strut three main wheels first, when the pressure into the 90 degree, the front shock strut three main wheels and then land. The C-17's main landing gear has no steering, six tires on each side, and is stowed in the low wind resistance landing gear bay after takeoff; the nose wheel has two tires and steering, and is stowed in the fuselage after takeoff. The crew of a C-17 airplane consists of only three people, a pilot, a co-pilot and a cargo handler. The crew is so small because the cockpit is equipped with an advanced digital avionics system consisting of?4?cathode ray tube displays and two General Electric Electronics flat panel displays, which centralize the display of information and reduce the pilot's workload. A General Electric digital teletype maneuvering system and a Honeywell compound atmospheric data computer are used on board. Engine and flight maneuvering data can also be displayed by the multi-function display. Navigation communications are tunable on full frequency. The mission and communications display has frequency and channel pre-storage capability, which allows both manual manipulation and the use of pre-programmed tapes to change the ongoing flight plan without interfering with the navigation system. With the Tridaine maneuver warning system, the main warning unit provides automatic monitoring of the main system and can display visible monitoring signals on the display, as well as audible or voice signals on the intercom system. Also fitted are Delco Electronics avionics equipment, including mission computers and electronic maneuvering systems; Hamilton Standard's aircraft and engine data management system computers; Honeywell's automated test equipment and auxiliary system data acquisition and control systems; and Telefonik's radio management system. In addition to normal flight information, the display system provides the status of the aircraft's systems, necessary emergency procedures, and routine checklists.? The C-17?accommodates both strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. In terms of cargo hold design, although the C-17?s external dimensions are similar to those of the C-141, its cargo hold dimensions are similar to those of the C-141. However, the size of its cargo hold is comparable to that of the C-5 Galaxy, which has larger dimensions than the C-17. The cargo hold is 5.49 meters wide, 26.82 meters long, and 4.11 meters high, according to the requirement of being able to arrange 6 trucks in two rows in the cargo hold. The jeeps can be transported in groups of 3 or 3 AH-64 attack helicopters. Various vehicles being airlifted can be driven directly into the cabin. Folding seats can be fitted on the centerline of the cabin and on both walls of the cabin. Airdrop capabilities include the airdrop of ?27,215 to 49,895 kilograms of cargo, or the airdrop of ?102? paratroopers. To carry the Army's heaviest equipment, the 55?tonne?M1?Main Battle Tank, the cargo floor is reinforced by aluminum alloy longitudinal beams to achieve a maximum carrying capacity of?60?tons. Sources say that the Army's newest 62-ton M1A2 main battle tank can also be carried without difficulty. The floor is lined with tether rings, rails, ball and roller bar systems that extend to a drop-in-flight cargo bridge with a cargo parachute pull-out mechanism. Each tether ring can withstand a pulling force of ?11,340 kilograms, and when the C-17 cargo door is closed, the door can also hold ?18,150 kilograms, almost the full load capacity of the C-130, whereas a typical transport aircraft door would normally only be used to stack light cargo. There is a parachute hatch on each side of the tail fuselage. There are two emergency exits for water landing on top of the fuselage at the tail and on top of the fuselage in front of the wings.
Outlook
In July?1995, the C-17?accomplished a major milestone: passing the U.S. Air Force's Reliability,?Maintainability?and?Availability?evaluation. During the month-long evaluation, 12 C-17s flew 513 global missions on predefined loading and flight routes to assess the performance of the aircraft, crews, bases, infrastructure, loading capacity, loading and unloading rates, warfighting simulation,... performance. The results of the evaluation were very satisfactory to the USAF. The C-17? carried twice as much cargo as the C-141? and four times as much as the C-130?, but the C-17? was 99% reliable, with a mission fulfillment rate of ?91%; the C-17? returned from its flights with only ?2% of additional inspections outside of its routine overhaul, and only two of its 100 flights, compared to ?40% for the C-5? and the C-141? up to 40%. In fact, because of the turmoil during the development and manufacturing process, as well as the expensive price repeatedly criticized by Congress, the Department of Defense originally intended to purchase only ?40? of the ?C-17, but because of the ?C-17?'s excellent performance in this evaluation, the Department of Defense finalized the purchase of ?120?
The C-17 Skyraider transport (18 photos) Boeing delivered two of the first?4?C-17s to the British government on?June?28?2001.The UK was the first foreign customer for the?C-17. The UK is not buying the C-17s, but leasing them for a period of 7 years. The contract specifies that if the UK loses a C-17 for any reason, it must compensate Boeing according to the contract. The C-17s will be based at Blaise Norton, the UK's largest operational base. The base was built to accommodate five C-17s in huge hangars. As part of contracts with Boeing and the U.S. Air Force, the first four pilots and four loadmasters of the British Army have been undergoing simulation and operational flight training at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma since the beginning of the year.? Potential customers also now include Japan and Saudi Arabia. Analysts say Japan could purchase the?C-17 if it changes its constitution and begins to fly a variety of foreign military missions.Saudi Arabia, a traditional importer of U.S. weapons, could also favor the?C-17.? In June 2002, the U.S. Air Force began plans to deploy eight C-17s to two air bases in Hawaii and Alaska to enhance the Pacific Air Force's new airlift capability. The Pacific-based C-17 transports were capable of traveling to any part of the Pacific in less than ?24? hours, depending on strategic airlift requirements. The command believes the deployment will require about ?4? to ?425? million dollars, along with additional personnel at both bases. The funding and personnel needed will be determined after this year's review, with funding in place from FY?2004?to FY?2007, and aircraft delivered as early as FY?2006.? In August 2002, Boeing was awarded a $9.7 billion Department of Defense contract for the production of 60 C-17 transports to be delivered by 2008. Boeing's commercial aviation business has also been greatly affected by a sharp drop in orders due to the poor state of the U.S. civil aviation industry, which has cut production in half since 9/11. Boeing has issued termination notices to about ?30,000 staff members as a result? ? Anatomy
[4] Boeing has been desperate to get the contract. Meanwhile Hamilton Sundstrand was awarded a contract totaling ?90?million dollars from Boeing to provide flight systems for the new production ?C-17? and would provide the power system, ram-air turbine emergency power system, engine electronic controls, fuel flow meters, and aircraft/propulsion data management computers. In addition, the company manufactures the aircraft's main fuel pumps. In January 2003 the USAF accelerated a program to install a new missile defense system for the ?C-17? transport aircraft by installing the NO-G Large Aircraft Infrared Interference for Transportation (LAIRCM) system on ?12? C-17s. Originally scheduled for completion in 2006, the project has been moved up to March 2004, and the C-17s, which are already equipped with the AN/ALE-47 jamming system for countering infrared-guided missiles, will be even more secure and reliable with the LAIRCM. Norge will ensure that the Large Transport Aircraft Infrared Jamming (LAIRCM) system is compatible with, and can be used in conjunction with, the?ALE-47?system, manufactured by?BAE?Systems, which can counter all infrared and radar-guided missile threats using programmable decoys. Plans also call for the system to be installed on?79?C-17?and?C-130?aircraft. Eventually more than ?900? U.S. air mobility command aircraft will also be fitted with the Large Air Transport Infrared Jamming (LAIRCM) system. The first C-17 transport aircraft to be fitted with the LAIRCM system will be rolled out this summer and full completion will be in March 2004. The contract will consist of two parts, with the first part worth $18.4 million going to Boeing. The second part of the contract, valued at $7.2 million, will be awarded to Norge. Norge will be responsible for designing, developing, testing and delivering an infrared jamming capability for the C-17 transport aircraft as soon as possible.The LAIRCM program does not include commercial applications, and the U.S. will use other methods to protect commercial airliners from attacks on, for example, Israeli airliners.The LAIRCM program will also be used to protect commercial airliners from attacks on Israeli airliners. On December 10, 2003, a U.S. Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft (SN: 9900057) was forced to return to the airport for an emergency landing after coming under shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles or RPGs shortly after takeoff from Baghdad International Airport, where its engine exploded. Seems to be the greatest support for the ?LAIRCM? system.? In June 2004, the U.S. Air Force and Boeing said they were working to advance the ?BC-17? civilian transport aircraft program. Boeing officials estimated that the demand for the C-17 for transportation markets such as large equipment, aircraft engines, and drilling machinery would be 20 to 30 aircraft.The BC-17X program began in December 2000, but a lack of customers at the time, coupled with the impact of the September 11 attacks on the air transportation industry, caused the program to falter for a time. The program would reduce the acquisition cost of military-style C-17s, allowing the Air Force to acquire more C-17s. The Air Force is in the process of justifying its need for?C-17?aircraft, with?180?C-17s currently on order, and estimates that the results of the justification will increase procurement. Boeing has delivered ?120?C-17?airplanes so far, and estimates it will deliver the remaining ?60?airplanes under contract by ?2008. People familiar with the program say the BC-17X?program will help the Air Force sell older models of the?C-17?to customers who will then purchase more of the newer?C-17?airplanes coming off the line from Boeing. Several airlines, such as Evergreen International Air Lines and FedEx Airways, have already indicated that they are considering purchasing the C-17?as their freighter, while others have indicated that this model is not suitable for their operations. Industry insiders have commented that the BC-17X?will have to face competition from the An-124?and Boeing?747-400?freighters, and it is doubtful that it will be viable without adequate government subsidies.
Wing span?50.29 meters?
Length?53.04 meters?
Height?16.79 meters?
Wing area?353.0 square meters?
Leading edge swept back angle?25 degrees?
Cargo hold?26.82 meters x 5.49 meters x 4.11 meters (L x W x H)?
Capacity?592 cubic meters?
Used empty weight?125,645 kg?
Maximum load?77,292 kilograms?
Maximum takeoff weight?265352 kg?
Cruise speed?M0.77 (altitude 8535 meters)?
Low altitude cruise speed?648 km/h?
Sea level airdrop speed?213 to 463 km/h?
Approach speed?213 km/h?
Utility ceiling?13,715 meters?
Length of takeoff field?2286 meters?
Landing field length?915 meters (with thrust reverser)?
Range?4630 kilometers