Four C-17 Globemaster IIIs Heading North
It's official. It's not unexpected. Boeing and the Canadian
government signed an agreement Thursday for the purchase of four
C-17 Globemaster IIIs for Canada's Department of National Defence
to provide new strategic airlift mobility capabilities for the
Canadian Forces.
Boeing will deliver the aircraft from its California factory
where the they are assembled, with first delivery expected as soon
as fall 2007. The Canadian C-17s will be based at the Canadian
Forces Base (CFB) in Trenton, Ontario.
Gen. Rick Hillier, Canada's chief of defence staff, joined
Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier,
and Public Works Minister Michael Fortier at National Defense
headquarters for the announcement.
"We will be faster and better in reaching out" to communities
around the world in need of emergency aid by rapidly transporting
Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team, as well as better
replenishing soldiers in the field, he added.
"This marks the beginning of a new era for the Canadian forces,"
said O'Conner. Hillier said the C-17 was a perfect fit for Canada's
military needs.
"It's essential," he said. "It gives us a capability to move
around the world that we have never had in our history."
This is a good day for the Canadian military as the government
manifests its stated intention to begin the process of reinvesting
in much needed military equipment, said Tim Page, president
of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries
"Boeing is pleased that
Canada joins its international partners -- the US Air Force, the UK
Royal Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force -- in selecting
C-17, the world's leading airlifter, to modernize its defense
forces airlift fleet," said Dave Bowman, vice president and C-17
program manager.
The $2.8 billion deal fulfills an election campaign pledge by
conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper last year to strengthen
the Canadian military.
However, for every cent paid to the U.S.-based Boeing, an equal
amount must be appropriated to Canadian firms under Industry Canada
guidelines for military procurements.
"When we announced the contracts to equip our Armed Forces ...
we were insisting that for every dollar that is given to a
non-Canadian vendor, we would insist that this vendor reinvest that
dollar in Canada," said Conservative Senator Michel Fortier in the
Senate Thursday.
The project also includes separate agreements with the US Air
Force for the engines, additional equipment, and in-service support
for an initial five-year period for the large transport aircraft,
contracts worth an estimated $722.6 million.
The new Canadian C-17s are already factored into the C-17
production plan and will not extend the Long Beach production line
beyond mid-2009, when the last C-17 is scheduled for
delivery.
In addition to the 160 C-17s now in service with the US Air Force,
the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force operates four C-17s, and the
Royal Australian Air Force took delivery of its first of four C-17s
in late 2006. Canada becomes the fourth nation to operate
C-17s.