Boeing Delivers Ninth C-40A Aircraft to U. S. Navy
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] delivered the U. S. Navy's ninth C-40A Clipper transport aircraft, a derivative of the 737-700C commercial airliner, May 25 to Squadron VR-57 of the Naval Reserve's Fleet Logistics Support Wing.
"Thanks to the great teamwork of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Integrated Defense Systems' Wichita, Kan., group and the Seattle-based Derivative Airplanes Program, we delivered this airplane 36 days ahead of schedule," said Cameron Blake, C-40A program manager for Boeing.
U.S. Navy Commander Tom Hartman, VR-57 commanding officer, added, "This highly dependable and flexible aircraft helps us meet the Navy's worldwide intra-theater airlift requirements." Following a delivery ceremony at the company's Wichita facility, Hartman piloted Clipper no. 9 to the squadron's operating base at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego.
The workhorse of the Fleet Logistics Support Wing, the C-40A provides airlift for all of the U.S. armed forces. It can be configured to carry 121 passengers, or eight 5,000-pound pallets of cargo, or a combination of 70 passengers and three pallets.
The Navy plans to purchase up to 23 additional Clippers as it continues to replace its aging fleet of C-9B aircraft. The C-40A provides superior fuel efficiency, range and payload and meets or exceeds international environmental and noise restrictions.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.
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