Table of Contents
- The larger and more reliable Boeing C-17 Globemaster III replaced the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.
- In the 1970s, the Boeing C-130 Hercules medium STOL replacement competition was cancelled.
- The Boeing C-17 entered service in 1997 and saw widespread use before production ceased in 2015.
On May 5, 2006, the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter—which had been in use by the USAF for nearly 40 years—was retired from active duty. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, which was intended to replace the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter as well as to perform some of the duties previously allocated to the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, assumed the position of strategic airlift aircraft.
The USAF sought the aircraft in the 1970s to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical cargo aircraft. Boeing requested that aircraft manufacturers submit their ideas for a medium short-takeoff and landing (STOL) transport aircraft to identify qualified competitors.
Boeing offered its twinjet, the YC-14, while McDonnell Douglas offered its four-engine, the YC-15. Although both aircraft met or exceeded USAF requirements, the competition was canceled before the winner was announced.
Why did the USAF want to replace the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter?
To understand the reasoning behind the US Air Force’s decision to retire the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter in favor of other, more antiquated aircraft. Despite its numerous advantages, the USAF found during the Vietnam War (1955–1975) that the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was incapable of transporting large military equipment into theater. This problem was solved in the summer of 1970 when the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was introduced.
When the USAF first used the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter in April 1965, it was thought that propeller-driven transport would become obsolete. But the USAF quickly discovered that some aircraft, such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, had advantages over the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, including:
- Short-Range Landing and Takeoff (STOL)
- Able to operate from a limited number of rigid airstrips
- Strong and reliable
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was significantly less robust than the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and was forced to land frequently due to structural flaws in its wings.
About the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
In the 1970s the US Air Force wanted a jet-powered aircraft to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft. It required aircraft capable of quickly deploying troops and equipment. After several aircraft manufacturers submitted ideas, the McDonnell Douglas C-17 was selected as the winning design. With larger and more powerful engines, the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was smaller than the swept-wing C-17.
It can perform tasks currently performed by the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, freeing up the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy to carry out additional missions with larger payloads.
Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced the USAF’s C-17 purchase from 210 to 120 in April 1990. Long Beach, California, McDonnell Douglas facility where the C-17 made its first flight on September 15, 1991, a year later than was initially envisaged.
The C-17 became operational in 1997
After production problems were resolved in late 1995, the United States Air Force’s first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III squadron entered service. After competitor McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in 1997, the Department of Defense (DoD) was told two years later that if it bought an additional 60 C-17 aircraft, the price would be reduced, bringing the total number of orders to 180. .
Image: USAF
The USAF increased its requirement for the C-17 to 223 aircraft over the next 10 years. In 2013, Boeing announced that it would cease production of the C-17 when the last aircraft was delivered in 2015. Boeing had committed to continuing production of C-17 spare parts through 2017, but was closing the Long Beach facility.
Additional prototypes were built and delivered for flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. A $100 million repair resulted after both wings collapsed during a stress test in October 1992. First used in early 1993, the C-17 was known as the “Globemaster III”. The Department of Defense (DoD) informed McDonnell Douglas that it would cancel the contract after the delivery of the 40th aircraft if the problems caused by production delays were not resolved.
Operational history of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
On July 14, 1993, Boeing delivered the first C-17 Globemaster III to the USAF at Charlestown, South Carolina. In January 1995, the 17th Airlift Squadron began flying. The C-17 was one of the biggest success stories of the Kosovo War (1998–1999), accounting for half of all strategic airlift sorties. Military strategists immediately fell in love with it because of its ability to carry heavy cargo and fast turnaround times.
During operations Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Iraqi Freedom, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III was once again deployed in Afghanistan. The largest air campaign since the invasion of Panama in 1989 was conducted on 26 March 2003, with 15 C-17 aircraft participating.
A thousand soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade had deployed earlier that day Vicenza, Italy, traveled north to Aviano Air Base, where they then flew to Northern Iraq to secure Bashur Airfield. The C-17 was also used to deliver aid and emergency supplies following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Image: USAF
Every year since 1999, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III has made an annual visit to Antarctica’s McMurdo Station. C-17 aircraft make a round-trip flight every October from Christchurch Airport (CHC) to McMurdo Station on the southernmost point of Ross Island. The flight from New Zealand to the ice runway takes five hours.
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is also a support aircraft to transport Marine One, the presidential limousine, and a security detachment.
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