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UK wants another C-17 transport plane.

Oldman1

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UK to buy eighth C-17 transport

The UK is to receive another Boeing C-17 strategic transport, with the acquisition to boost the Royal Air Force's fleet of the type to eight aircraft.

Announced by prime minister David Cameron on 8 February, the £200 million ($316 million) purchase represents the potentially final addition to the UK's C-17 fleet, which plays a vital role in sustaining its "airbridge" with Afghanistan. Seven are flown by the service's 99 Sqn from its air transport super base at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.

"The newest C-17 is currently being built by Boeing in the USA and is due to come off the production line next month," the UK Ministry of Defence said. "It is then expected to enter service with the RAF in July 2012."

"Boeing is delighted to hear that the UK government is ready to procure an eighth C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift aircraft to meet the nation’s growing airlift needs," said Bob Ciesla, the company's C-17 programme manager. A contract has yet to be signed for the acquisition.

In May 2011, the RAF marked the completion of its first decade of operations with the C-17, an initial four of which were flown under a lease agreement with the USA. These were subsequently purchased outright, with orders later placed for two and one aircraft respectively.

The UK operates the second-largest fleet of C-17s, behind the US Air Force, although India recently completed the process of ordering a fleet of 10 to enter use from later this decade.
 
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That's cheaper than what we're being sold. WTF? $316 million apiece for UK's 1 order while $ 410 million apiece for our order of 16 C-17s? Why?

And we're not even ordering US' sensitive communication equipment while installing our own instead. :angry:
 
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That's cheaper than what we're being sold. WTF? $316 million apiece for UK's 1 order while $ 410 million apiece for our order of 16 C-17s? Why?

And we're not even ordering US' sensitive communication equipment while installing our own instead. :angry:

I think we're buying through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route which is costlier. Not sure about the UK purchase.
 
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That's cheaper than what we're being sold. WTF? $316 million apiece for UK's 1 order while $ 410 million apiece for our order of 16 C-17s? Why?

And we're not even ordering US' sensitive communication equipment while installing our own instead. :angry:

ours include spare parts . training . and repair and servicing equipment . all of which is already in place with the RAF:)
 
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That's cheaper than what we're being sold. WTF? $316 million apiece for UK's 1 order while $ 410 million apiece for our order of 16 C-17s? Why?

And we're not even ordering US' sensitive communication equipment while installing our own instead. :angry:

Added to ^^^ This order by RAF is a follow-on to an earlier deal and is RAF exercising their options for addtional 2 machines so given inflation and such their unit price is likely to be cheaper anyway because it is a much earlier deal than India's. And obviously the setting up of infrastructure is going to cost somthing which RAF don't have to do.. (but both RAF and IAF deals would be FMS because of USG rules).



And "super base"?? I've been to Brize Nortan numerous times and have been far from amazed a few C-17s and TriStars is hardly impressive.
 
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