Third C-17 delivered to UAE military

Posted by John McHale

LONG BEACH, Calif., 30 July 2011. Boeing [NYSE: BA] officials delivered a third C-17 Globemaster III airlifter to the air force of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and air defence at the C-17 program's final assembly facility in Long Beach. UAE military officials accepted delivery of their first C-17 in May. Boeing is contracted to produce a fourth C-17 to the UAE later this year and two more in 2012.The C-17 can transport large payloads across long distances without refueling and operate in extremely hot and cold climates. With a full payload of 170,000 pounds, the C-17 can fly 2,400 nautical miles on multiple missions including brigade airdrop and aeromedical evacuation. The C-17 also can land on short runways of 3,000 feet or less and land on austere airfields.UAE's C-17s are supported through the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership. C-17 operators receive worldwide logistics support (spares, support equipment, tech orders, sustaining engineering, and on-site field teams) through use of shared resources across the entire fleet. See also:Plane carrying the First Lady of US aborts landingBig week for Boeing: company gets contracts to build ten C-17 cargo jets and nine F/A-18E fighter bombersC-17 aircraft training system contract won by L-3 Link