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INTRODUCTION

Four Boeing C17 Globemaster IIIs were leased from the manufacturer (with the possibility to lease/buy more in the future) to fill a requirement identified in the Strategic Defence Review for strategic airlift.  Already in use with USAF, the RAF lease marked the first permanent use of C17 by another country.  The C17 first flew in 1991 and the first deliveries to the USAF were in 1993.  The aircraft has many advanced features such as a glass cokpit, fly-by-wire controls, and winglets and high performance engines which enable it to lift almost 170 000 pounds in payload.  It can carry 18 aircraft pallets, 108 passengers (54 seats are permanently fitted), a variety of vehicles and outsize cargo, or a combination of all of these. 

RAF SERVICE

The first RAF aircraft was delivered to its new home at RAF Brize Norton in May 2001, piloted by OC No 99 Squadron, Wing Commander Brecht.  The initial length of the lease has been extended from 7 to 9 years as the aircraft has proved itself invaluable in the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The aircraft has an outsize load capacity (RAF C17s have moved Tornado F3 and Seaking and Chinook helicopters as internal loads) and although possessing the ability to operate from unprepared strips (the aircraft's excellent short field performance is achieved by extending the wing flaps into the jet efflux (a principle first proposed for the ill-fated YC15)), will be used purely as a strategic transport to established airfields.

You can see our C17s in Calgary and Edmonton throughout the year.
 

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