US Air Force operates roughly 220 C‑17 Globemaster III aircraft, fleet over 20 years old
Written by AI from 1 report listed below. Not checked by a person before publication. How we use AI
The United States Air Force currently fields about 220 Boeing C‑17 Globemaster III aircraft, a type that entered service in the early 1990s and was originally designed by McDonnell Douglas; the fleet’s average age exceeds two decades and production of the model ended in 2015. The C‑17 combines intercontinental range with short‑field performance and rugged operation near forward areas, and has been employed in Middle East conflicts, humanitarian missions after natural disasters, and rapid‑response deployments across Europe and the Indo‑Pacific. The USAF’s largest strategic airlifter is the Lockheed Martin C‑5M Super Galaxy, which is undergoing a Reliability Enhancement and Re‑engining Program to extend its service life into the 2040s.