Boeing

The U.S. Air Force accepted its 50th Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft in a brief ceremony here this morning. Lt. Gen. Gregory ("Speedy") Martin, principal deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, was at the controls as the aircraft took off for Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

The event marked the 38th consecutive C-17 delivered ahead of schedule by Boeing Airlift & Tanker Programs, recent recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

The Globemaster III continues to amass an impressive reliability record under difficult conditions in the Balkans area of operations. More than 650 missions have been flown transporting more than 2.5 million pounds of humanitarian aid, helicopter support equipment and large, heavy U.S. Army equipment like the Multiple Launch Rocket System, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and main battle tanks.

The Air Force has ordered 120 of the advanced airlifters, capable of carrying 85 tons of cargo over intercontinental distances and landing on austere airfields as short as 3,000 feet.

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