C-17 Globemaster III
The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest and most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of all types of cargo to any base. The fundamental flexibility and performance characteristics of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.
The C-17 made its first flight on 15 September 1991 and the first production model was delivered on 14 June 1993. The Air Force is programmed to receive a total of 120 C-17s by the year 2005.
The C-17 measures approximately 174 feet long with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches. The aircraft is powered by four fully reversible Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines similar to the ones used on the Boeing 757. Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust.
The aircraft is operated by a crew of three. Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft door that accommodates military vehicles and palletized cargo. The maximum payload capacity of the C-17 Globemaster III is 170,900 pounds, and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds. The C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots. The design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small airfields. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,000 feet and as narrow as 90 feet wide.
| Primary Function | Cargo and troop transport |
|---|---|
| Contractor | Boeing Company |
| Power Plant | Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines |
| Thrust | 40,440 pounds, each engine |
| Length | 174 feet (53 meters) |
| Height | 55 feet 1 inch (16.79 meters) |
| Wingspan | 169 feet 10 inches (to winglet tips) (51.76 meters) |
| Cargo Compartment | length, 88 feet (26.82 meters); width, 18 feet (5.48 meters); height, 12 feet 4 inches (3.76 meters) |
| Speed | 450 knots at 28,000 feet (8,534 meters) (Mach .74) |
| Service Ceiling | 45,000 feet at cruising speed (13,716 meters) |
| Range | Global with in-flight refueling |
| Crew | Three (two pilots and one loadmaster) |
| Maximum Peacetime Takeoff Weight | 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms) |
| Load | 102 troops/paratroops; 48 litter and 54 ambulatory patients and attendants; 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms) of cargo (18 pallet positions) |
| Date Deployed | June 1993 |
| Unit Cost | $180 million (FY96 constant dollars) |
| Inventory | unavailable |
Bibliography:
All Information gathered from Air Force Link.
