White House Aero-Hit-List #1: C-17 Strategic Airlift Aircraft | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.06.24

Airborne-NextGen-05.07.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.08.24 Airborne-FlightTraining-05.09.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.10.24

Fri, May 08, 2009

White House Aero-Hit-List #1: C-17 Strategic Airlift Aircraft

$17 Billion Cut... But Trillions More Spent Elsewhere

The Obama Administration, in the process of spending trillions of dollars for all manner of programs and projects, is trumpeted the 17 Billion dollars it is trying to cut from the Federal Budget.

Rather than try to digest them all en masse, we'll look at each of them one at a time and allow you to make up YOUR mind as to the rationale and wisdom for the decisions included below. Herewith;  another of the programs on the chopping block that has an aviation or aerospace connotation.

From the 'Terminations, Reductions, and Savings' document published this week by the OMB, as part of the FY 2010 US Budget:

Proposal: The Administration proposes to terminate production of the C-17 airlift aircraft and fund an orderly shutdown of the production line because the number of C-17s now ordered will be sufficient to meet the Department of Defense's (DOD's) airlift needs. The C-17 is designed to carry heavy military cargoes over long distances.

Justification: A total of 205 C-17s have been ordered with budgetary resources provided prior to 2009. The Congress authorized six aircraft in 2009 but provided no funding. Continuing C-17 production would cost about $3 billion per year in 2010 and subsequent years. The Government Accountability Office has urged a careful balancing of costs and requirements in determining how DOD should meet its  airlift needs, and DOD has conducted such assessments.1 For example, in the Quadrennial Defense Review in 2006, and in other internal reviews, DOD examined the strategic implications of various airlift force levels.2 DOD concluded that for long-range airlift 205 C-17s, together with the existing fleet of C-5 aircraft, would be sufficient to meet DOD's mobility needs, even under the most stressing scenarios. Thus, no more C-17s need be ordered, and production will cease when the 205th aircraft has been produced. The 2010 request includes $91 million for an orderly shutdown of the production line.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2010/assets/trs.pdf

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.09.24)

"Fly-by-wire flight, coupled with additional capability that are being integrated into ALFA, provide a great foundation for Bell to expand on its autonomous capabilities. This airc>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.09.24): Hold Procedure

Hold Procedure A predetermined maneuver which keeps aircraft within a specified airspace while awaiting further clearance from air traffic control. Also used during ground operatio>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.09.24)

Aero Linx: B-21 Raider The B-21 Raider will be a dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. The B-21 will form th>[...]

Airborne 05.03.24: Advanced Powerplant Solutions, PRA Runway Woes, Drone Racing

Also: Virgin Galactic, B-29 Doc to Allentown, Erickson Fire-Fighters Bought, FAA Reauthorization After dealing with a big letdown after the unexpected decision by Skyreach to disco>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.07.24: AI-Piloted F-16, AgEagle, 1st 2 WorldView Sats

Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC