It would fit in nicely with the announced increased spending for military stuff this year. Oh...wait...
Would make significantly more sense then purchasing a split fleet for fighter capability gap that doesn't exist. We work those C-17s hard.
I almost got excited, then realized it didn't mean more airframes, dang!
http://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2017/04/21/C-17-support-package-for-Canada-approved-by-US-State-Department/4871492777386/?
suffolkowner
Colin, I think I read somewhere that the last C-17 flew off to India?
suffolkowner said:
I believe your correct, really they should have built 5-8 more and I suspect they would have all sold.
There are about 7 C-17 in the Boneyard. They must be damaged beyond repair, although no damage is clearly visible.
https://www.aerialsphere.com/spheres/arizona/tucson/boneyard/1/
Cloud Cover said:
That'd be up to the accountants. If there is a will there is a way. As long as those registration numbers are intact then any aircraft can be put back into service.
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/mosquito-buzzing.html
The Bread Guy
Chris Pook said:
... If there is a will and easily available cash there is a way ...
milnews.ca said:
Anything is possible, if cash.
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/205380/india-gets-boeing's-last-c_17-heavy_lift-aircraft.html
India just received the last one from Boeing
- mod edit to fix link -
LoboCanada
Why end the production line if there's a demand for more internationally? Is the line that expensive to run that it needs massive orders to stay profitable enough?
Is the smaller airlift competition that strong that the future of the aircraft isn't clear? Not like Boeing has another version on the way.
I dont understand the closing of a line of aircraft that are so strategically vital for so many wealthy countries.
Boeing now has an interest in the Embraer KC-390 which looks set to compete against C-130J, A400M:
Embraer to deliver first KC-390 to Brazilian Air Force on September 4
Brazil will receive 28 units of the multipurpose freighter jet by 2024 that will replace the C-130 Hercules turboprop
The Air Force is expected to receive its 28 transport aircraft by 2024. By then, the aircraft is expected to have new customers as a result of the partnership between Embraer and Boeing, which aims to boost its sales.
[Lovely plane]
https://www.airway1.com/embraer-to-deliver-first-kc-390-to-brazilian-air-force-on-september-4/
Earlier:
Boeing relationship key to KC-390 costs, marketing
Embraer's defence joint venture with Boeing will use the American company's leverage over suppliers to cut parts and components costs on the KC-390 tactical transport.
The Brazilian company said at an investor conference on 16 January that it will also lean on Boeing's international sales and marketing network, as well as the USA's geopolitical influence, to expand the transport's sales.
"The markets where the US has a huge geopolitical influence, we compete with Lockheed Martin in those markets," said Nelson Salgado, chief financial officer of Embraer. "Now with the partnership with Boeing, we are opening up all of those markets, the US and the markets where the US has significant geopolitical influence. With Boeing leverage on the supply chain we will have big possibilities of reducing costs on the [KC-390] and make it a product [that is] more competitive as well."
The KC-390 is powered by two International Aero Engines V2500 turbofans and can carry 80 passengers or 64 paratroopers. The aircraft is designed to perform missions such as cargo and troop transport, troop and cargo air delivery, aerial refueling, search and rescue and forest fire fighting [rather Amazon-relevant, what?]...
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-relationship-key-to-kc-390-costs-marketing-455077/
Plus now:
Portugal and Embraer celebrate deal for five KC-390
https://www.wingsmagazine.com/portugal-contract-for-five-kc-390/
MrWhyt
LoboCanada said:
cause demand isn't the same as contracts, countries can spend years saying they want something before they actually sign a contract for the items.. Boeing made all they had on order plus a handful extra. It's too expensive to keep a line sitting around not producing anything.
tomahawk6
The US needs more C17's to push their squadron levels to 386. No talks with Boeing yet on a new production line. The C5's are bit old too so maybe by Antonov ? Its a Ukrainian company.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/airlift-tanker-annual/2018/10/26/could-the-air-force-restart-the-c-17-production-line/
Boeing and Embraer signed their deal last week.
https://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/207523/boeing-embraer%E2%80%93defense-jv-to-market-renamed-c_390-transport.html
So I would bet on a stretch C390 built in the US before a reopened C17
Is there really anything available in the market other than the C390? Who else in the West is designing a C-17 follow on now that the line is shut down?
They are very thin, the Lockheed C-130, the BE C-390, the Airbus A400, and the Kawasaki C-2 are in production.
There are others like the AN-70, the Xian Y-20, and IL-76 but those are not really available.
The C-17 offers substantially more cargo space, with 3" more height, 7' wore width and 20' more length than the C-390.
But the C-17 is out of production. And will most likely never to be restarted. The plant is gone the tooling is gone the employees are gone. It will be interested with what the USAF does in the future. I can not see them buying the A400 in any large amount. The 747 has only 18 orders left and the supply chain is starting shutdown.
I would bet they are looking at a new design blended wing type but can they afford it?
My guess is that they will just fly the wings off the C-5 C-17 and keep rebuilding them.
But that still leaves the original question of what does the RCAF do?
Freaking criminal to shut down that plant.