Post by corsair67 on Aug 25, 2006 15:29:45 GMT 12
This is really crazy! 
US Govt. needs to pull it's head out of its arse: the USAF don't have enough heavylifters in service, so if they should order more of these great aircraft as soon as possible and keep the production line open past 2009.
While I'm at it, the RAAF should order another 2 as well!
From The Australian.
End is near for Boeing airlift giant
Steve Creedy
August 25, 2006.
US manufacturer Boeing has warned that it might stop making the giant C-17 military transports recently ordered by Australia at a cost of more than $2 billion.
With the Australian Defence Force due to get its first of four planes later this year, Boeing has begun directing C-17 suppliers to stop work on uncommitted aircraft because of a lack of interest in the program.
Boeing said this would be the first step in an orderly shutdown of the supply chain should no further orders be received from the US Government.
Boeing had been spending its own money to protect the C-17 supplier base while it pursued overseas orders and waited for the US Government to work out its requirements.
"During that time Boeing received international orders and commitments for more than a dozen of the advanced air lifters," the manufacturer said. "Congress has added funding for up to three more as part of its recent 2007 budget deliberations. However, when the orders are totalled, there are not enough to sustain production beyond mid-2009."
Boeing says shutting down the program will affect 5500 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect employees at almost 700 US companies.
"No one questions (the C-17's) operational value," said Ron Marcotte, vice-president and general manager of Boeing Global Mobility Systems. "But we can't continue carrying the program without additional orders from the US Government."
The four-engined jet aircraft will give Australia the capacity for responsive global airlift operations it has previously lacked.
US Govt. needs to pull it's head out of its arse: the USAF don't have enough heavylifters in service, so if they should order more of these great aircraft as soon as possible and keep the production line open past 2009.
While I'm at it, the RAAF should order another 2 as well!
From The Australian.
End is near for Boeing airlift giant
Steve Creedy
August 25, 2006.
US manufacturer Boeing has warned that it might stop making the giant C-17 military transports recently ordered by Australia at a cost of more than $2 billion.
With the Australian Defence Force due to get its first of four planes later this year, Boeing has begun directing C-17 suppliers to stop work on uncommitted aircraft because of a lack of interest in the program.
Boeing said this would be the first step in an orderly shutdown of the supply chain should no further orders be received from the US Government.
Boeing had been spending its own money to protect the C-17 supplier base while it pursued overseas orders and waited for the US Government to work out its requirements.
"During that time Boeing received international orders and commitments for more than a dozen of the advanced air lifters," the manufacturer said. "Congress has added funding for up to three more as part of its recent 2007 budget deliberations. However, when the orders are totalled, there are not enough to sustain production beyond mid-2009."
Boeing says shutting down the program will affect 5500 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect employees at almost 700 US companies.
"No one questions (the C-17's) operational value," said Ron Marcotte, vice-president and general manager of Boeing Global Mobility Systems. "But we can't continue carrying the program without additional orders from the US Government."
The four-engined jet aircraft will give Australia the capacity for responsive global airlift operations it has previously lacked.
