The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a four-engine military transport used for strategic airlift, delivery to forward airfields, airdrop and medical evacuation. It combines a large cargo compartment with equipment for operating at airfields where conventional heavy transports would require more ground support.[1]
Airlift design
Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofans power the C-17. Leading-edge slats and externally blown flaps provide additional lift at low speed. The thrust reversers direct exhaust upward and forward, reducing the risk of drawing debris into the engines when operating from relatively unimproved surfaces. These features support its role delivering equipment nearer to deployed forces.[1]
The basic crew comprises two pilots and a loadmaster. Cargo configurations include standard pallets, vehicles or troop seating; the Air Force lists a maximum payload of 170,900 pounds. Medical evacuation adds specialist personnel and equipment. The loadmaster supervises the load, its restraint and its movement through the rear cargo opening.[1]
Entry into service
The C-17 first flew in 1991 and entered United States Air Force service in 1993. Britain subsequently adopted it to fill a gap in its ability to move large military equipment over long distances. In 2000, the Ministry of Defence arranged an initial lease of four aircraft from Boeing and the U.S. Air Force.[2]
British operations
The RAF ultimately purchased its leased aircraft and expanded the fleet to eight by 2012. Its C-17s supported operations in Afghanistan and undertook military, humanitarian and aeromedical missions. Their large cabin also made the aircraft suitable for unusual loads: a Globemaster transported Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin in 2022. RAF aircraft operate from Brize Norton, with 99 Squadron providing the operational heavy-lift capability.[2]