Boeing

Boeing today delivered the 79th C-17 Globemaster III to the U.S. Air Force during a ceremony at the production facility here. The aircraft was officially accepted by Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Van Holbeck, the Command Chief Master Sergeant, United States Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

The aircraft then departed for its new home base, McChord Air Force Base, near Tacoma, Wash.

Van Holbeck is the first enlisted person to accept delivery of a C-17. In his position, he advises the U.S. Transportation Command Commander-in-Chief and his staffs on matters of health, welfare and morale, and effective utilization of more than 115,000 enlisted personnel assigned to the joint transport commands. He has been in the U.S. Air Force since 1972.

In addition to the 79 C-17s in the U.S. Air Force fleet, the U.K. Royal Air Force operates four C-17s. The U.S. Air Force fleet has surpassed 300,000 flying hours, while the U.K. Royal Air Force fleet has passed 1,250 hours in half a year's service.

C-17s have dropped more than 2 million humanitarian daily rations packages during ongoing operations in Afghanistan.

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