The War Zone

C-17 Will Fly Until 80 Years Old Under New USAF Airlifter...

The Air Force does not expect to have fully transitioned to its Next-Generation Airlift aircraft until 2075.

Family of systems, new engines for C-17s, etc… lotta ideas in the article.

Family of systems is a buzz phrase but probably the best COA. Crewed / Unmanned fleet

It’ll fly until they find cracks in the wing boxes like they did the C-141 and they immediately field a replacement.

And they started finding a lot more cracks when the 141s began doing SOLL. Lockheed said we didn't design the plane to do that.

19 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

It’ll fly until they find cracks in the wing boxes like they did the C-141 and they immediately field a replacement.

Probably but I hope AMC could make the argument to not have to get into a problem and just lead the turn with a replacement before we get to fatigue life issues

My druthers would be to separate out how much lift really needs to be capable of expeditionary / austere delivery and how much just needs to be conventional (air land to at least modest length / width / load bearing prepared runways)

Buy commercial freighters for probably half the lift and half having military airlift capability

Bump

The War Zone

Boeing "Encouraged" By C-17 Production Restart Discussions

Congress recently asked the USAF for a briefing on the feasibility of buying new C-17s amid major strain on the existing fleet.

Cool quick story- I remember visiting the C-17 plant in Long Beach circa 2014 and there was a lady there whom had been an original Rosie the Riveter still building aircraft at 103.