Future C-17 Orders

[Felipe]

now that's what i call a cracking plane!!!!

But, off topic..
I thought Boeing closed the productionline for the C-17 some 2 years ago.. Where these planes already ordered or is the prod.line re-opened, because the NATO also bought some and the Aussies, and the canadians and i believe New Zeeland??!!??

Edit by mod: split off from the Qatar C-17 topic

[Lex]

now that's what i call a cracking plane!!!!

But, off topic..
I thought Boeing closed the productionline for the C-17 some 2 years ago.. Where these planes already ordered or is the prod.line re-opened, because the NATO also bought some and the Aussies, and the canadians and i believe New Zeeland??!!??

Boeing still produces new C-17's. The USAF still gets new ones. They ordered 15 more some time ago.
Heard they threathened stopped producing some parts for the C-17's in order to get the senate to order more C-17's.

[ehusmann]

Indeed, some time ago they announced to close the lines if not more were ordered. Since then small batches for several countries have been ordered (NATO, apparantly Qatar, Australia, Canada and also US I believe) and so the line can still produce. However, some suppliers have produced the last parts already, so it seems they are in need of more orders again.

Erwin

[Thijs]

Didn't the UK still has an option for some more examples?

Creating rumours about closing the line always speed up the process within ministry of defences

[ehusmann]

If you look at wikipedia, there are still quit some possible orders:
RAF - possible 2 more
Germany - 2 to 4
India - up to 10
South Korea - 3 or 4
Japan - some
And I thought France was interested as well.

All of these are in different stages of credibility, but with the lack of any real competition and Boeing wanting to keep the line open (apparantly parts for 30 more planes are being produced for which there is no buyer), I wouldn´t be surprised with any of the above.

Erwin

[Lex]

The RAF even located 4 more serials (ZZ177 to ZZ180).

[Polecat]

http://www.luchtvaart.tv/video.php?id=9889

Air Forces Monthly reported in last aprils' issue about USAFtransport aircraft that the USAF didn't even want the extra 15 a/c, but that they were less or more forced to take them..
Alledgedly the range/payload performance is not that great...