The seventh Boeing C-17A Globemaster for the RAAF arrived on delivery at Amberley on Wednesday.
Australia’s acquisition of two additional C-17s, taking the fleet to eight, was confirmed in April, and A41-213’s arrival at RAAF Base Amberley marks the fastest delivery of an Australian C-17, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said in statement. The eighth aircraft is due to be delivered by the end of the year.
“This latest acquisition will bolster our existing fleet of strategic lift aircraft – providing vital heavy airlift support to a range of operations, and increase our capacity to provide swift disaster relief and humanitarian assistance at home and abroad,” Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Leo Davies said.
“Under Plan Jericho, the Air Force is dedicated to developing a networked, future joint force that can respond across the spectrum – from combat to humanitarian support. An additional two C-17A aircraft will help us achieve that.”
Boeing is in the process of shutting down its Long Beach, California C-17 final assembly line with work on the 279th and last C-17 now largely complete. The seventh and eighth Australian C-17s are being acquired from a final batch of 10 Boeing built as ‘white tails’ – aircraft built without a customer – only one of which now remains unsold.
