The first of four leased Boeing C-17 transports for the UK Royal Air Force will be handed over on 17 May, more than a month ahead of schedule and just a year after the decision to acquire the aircraft was announced. The UK's fourth C-17 is scheduled for delivery in September.
The C-17s are being supplied by Boeing under seven-year leases, with options for two one-year extensions, and the manufacturer hopes the deal will stimulate demand for the transport while it waits for a US Department of Defense decision to proceed with a follow-on multi-year procurement of around 60 aircraft. The USAF has ordered 120 C-17s so far, of which 72 have been delivered.
The UK granted the C-17 military aircraft release in early April and Boeing has put a support system in place at RAF Brize Norton, which will be operated by 99 Sqn. The first major outing for RAFC-17s will be the deployment of troops and equipment to Oman for Exercise Saif Sareea II in October.
Quick delivery of the UKC-17s was possible because the aircraft were diverted from USAir Force production. If the UK returns the C-17s when the leases expire, Boeing plans to resell the aircraft to the USAF or another international customer. The residual value used to calculate the lease was based on that of a DC-10/MD-11 freighter, Boeing says.
Leasing made it possible for the UK to afford a small force of C-17s to bridge the gap until the Airbus Military Company A400M becomes available. Boeing hopes other countries will follow suit. "Any A400M country might be interested in leasing C-17s for a short term," the company says, although there are no ongoing negotiations.
Boeing also says US cargo carriers have yet to show interest in the US Air Force's proposal to help pay for a fleet of up to 10 commercially operated BC-17X freighters which would augment US military airlift during a crisis (Flight International, 6-12 February).
The company is promoting the civil-certificated BC-17X as a competitor for the Antonov An-124 in the heavy outside cargo market. Boeing sees a market for 30 aircraft, which would cost around $140 million each and require an investment of $300-400 million, mainly for US certification of the existing C-17 production facility at Long Beach.
The USAF proposal, if picked up by any US cargo carrier, would provide the minimum of 10 orders required to launch the BC-17X programme, says Boeing.
Source: Flight International
