C-17 Reaches 2 Million-Hour Milestone

Military's Go-To Cargo Jet Fleet Passes Flying-Time Milestone In What Could Easily Be A Lifespan Of 40 Years Or More -- Post Courier

How's this for getting your money's worth? The Air Force's workhorse cargo plane -- the C-17 -- has surpassed the fleet's two-millionth hour of flying time.

That's the equivalent of going to the moon and back 2,360 times.

Even more telling is that it took 16 years to reach the first 1 million air hours, and only a few years more to tack on the second million.

The war on terror has solidified the C-17 Globemaster's place in history as the Pentagon's go-to carrier. And for a plane still considered a young adult by military standards, defense experts see a long life ahead for an aircraft widely identified as the anchor of Charleston's military presence.

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More News On The C-17

C-17 reaches 2 million flight hours -- Air Force Times
Globemaster III marks two million hours -- Jane's Defense
C-17 reaches 2 million-hour milestone -- WMBF News
C-17 fleet reaches two-million-hour landmark -- Flightglobal
USAF C-17 marks 2 millionth flight hour during airdrop -- Defpro

12-Nation Heavy Airlift Wing Takes flight With First C-17

SAC 01 takes off beginning its 5,300-nautical-mile maiden flight July 14 from Long Beach, Calif., to Papa Air Base, Hungary. The aircraft is the first of three C-17 Globemaster IIIs to be acquired by the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability Program. The Hungarian air base is home to the SAC Program's multinational, operational-level unit, the Heavy Airlift Wing, which will officially be activated July 27. (Courtesy photo)

From The U.S. Air Force:

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- Twelve nations saw their dreams of strategic airlift come true as the multinational Heavy Airlift Wing they've built from scratch in less than a year received the "keys" to its first C-17 Globemaster III July 14 in Long Beach, Calif.

During a ceremony at Boeing's final assembly facility, Col. John Zazworsky who commands the HAW in a multinational capacity, officially received the first of three C-17s to be acquired by the Strategic Airlift Capability Program's consortium.

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My Comment: Shipping and transporting troops and equipment has always been a shortfall for both the U.S. and NATO. The C-17 will help to close some of this shortfall.