Boeing's C-17 may be nearing end

Published: Dec 12, 2005
Source: aimpoints.hq.af.mil



WASHINGTON -- Embracing a position that could penalize The Boeing Co. in the short run but enrich it greatly over the long term, an Air Force general said Thursday that there is no need for more C-17 cargo planes, but a new generation of aerial tankers should be able to carry troops, supplies and equipment in addition to fuel.

While it could end production of Boeing's C-17s in Southern California, it could also mean developing a cargo- and tanker-capable version of the company's big 777 jets, built in Everett.

Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of the U.S. Transportation Command, told reporters that he is satisfied that a fleet of 180 C-17s, which are made by Boeing, is sufficient to handle future needs. That contrasts with his predecessor, Gen. John Handy, who insisted until he retired in September that the Air Force needed 222 of the huge transport planes.

Confronted by tight budgets and competing needs, Schwartz said trade-offs have to be made.continue..