• Australia’s six C-17s, including this example seen loading relief supplies for Vanuatu after the recent Cyclone Pam, will be joined by another two.
    Australia’s six C-17s, including this example seen loading relief supplies for Vanuatu after the recent Cyclone Pam, will be joined by another two.
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Australia will execute a formerly announced deal to buy another two Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft, to take the Royal Australian Air Force fleet to eight aircraft.

The $1 billion deal will cover the two additional aircraft and associated equipment, including $300m for a dedicated maintenance hangar and increased apron and taxi-way space at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane that will also benefit the KC-30 aerial refuelling tankers.

The addition of the C-17 to the Royal Australian Air Force has been seen as one of the ADF’s acquisition success stories. Australia has operated the C-17 since November 2006, when the first of an initial order of four aircraft went in to service.

The aircraft have proven reliable and effective in their designated roles, including humanitarian missions such as the delivery of equipment, personnel and more than 175 pallets of aid to Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam, delivery of humanitarian aid in Iraq, recovery of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 victims from Eastern Ukraine and other assistance for victims of the Japanese tsunami, Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand and Queensland floods.

 “Since they were first acquired at the initiative of the Howard Government, C-17 aircraft have transformed the ADF’s capacity to transport large loads over long distances and to deploy its vehicles, helicopters and heavy equipment within Australia and overseas,” said a Defence spokesperson. “The two additional C-17s will provide vital heavy airlift support to a range of regional and global coalition operations and greatly increase Australia’s capacity to provide rapid and effective disaster rescue and relief and humanitarian aid.”

With orders drying up Boeing plans to close the C-17 production line in 2015. The two new Royal Australian Air Force aircraft will come from a group of 10 “white tail” aircraft Boeing produced without firm orders, believing customers would take the opportunity to acquire the aircraft before production ceased.

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