The next article in a continuing Monday morning series on The Air Force’s C-17 airlifter cargo plane built in Long Beach.
What happened last week? This match goes to the C-17 Defenders! Plus, 10 Planes for India?
Last week, the U.S. Congress passed the fiscal 2009 supplemental funding bill. The bill authorizes the funding of 8 more C-17′s at a cost of $2.2 billion for planes the Obama administration says it does not need. The Obama Administration has been fairly quiet about the additional planes in the supplemental funding bill and the President is expected to sign the bill soon. The next bout will come with the 2010 defense budget, where Secretary of Defense Robert Gates does not appear to be backing off his plans to end the C-17 and the F-22 programs.
At a press conference, on Thursday, June 18, Gates was asked specifically about the continued funding for the F-22, and he said “I would say it’s a big problem. I have a big problem with it.” When asked why?, he responded “Well, because it continues the F-22 program, which is contrary to the recommendations I made to the president and that the president sent to the Congress in his budget. That’s why it’s a problem.” While Gates was not specifically addressing the C-17, it seems reasonable to assume that, since the Administration’s 2010 defense budget calls for the termination of both programs, his answer would apply to the C-17 as well.
Your Editors expect another C-17 bout to occur with the 2010 defense budget as the action in that corner picks up. We also expect a similar result. The Boeing Company has done a very affective job at garnering congressional support for the planes by spreading the work around the country. Although there are 5,000 local C-17 jobs at Boeing,
the program touches many congressional districts and senatorial electorates. Here is Boeing’s official statement on the inclusion of the 8 additional C-17s in the just passed legislation:
“Boeing is grateful for the bipartisan Congressional support the C-17 program continues to receive, along with the recognition that funding for additional C-17s is crucial at a time when America’s need for airlift is growing. While this support helps preserve the option for affordable C-17s in the future, it also secures the jobs of more than 30,000 C-17 workers in 44 states and prevents the immediate shutdown of the nation’s last large military aircraft production line.”
With so much widespread employment dependant on the C-17, it is hard to imagine congressional support for implementing the Obama Administration’s recommendation to close the production line. In fact, the congressional voices in support of the Administration are rather hard to find. To date, we have found only two, and they are both Republicans. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), reportedly supports ending C-17 production and Rep. John Campbell (R-Irvine, California) back in May, said “I am not going to support C-17 or any other project just because it happens to be built in my backyard.”
Then, of course, there are those pesky Russian planes. Whether or not we actually need more C-17s than the 205 the Administration wants, or the 8 more the congress has just gifted to the Air Force, is an open question. Any thoughtful estimate of the number of C-17s needed must consider many long term assumptions, any one of which could turn out to be wrong. What, however, is not an estimate of the future is the fact that we continue to rent, at the rate of about 17 trips per month, Russian planes because we do not have enough of our own heavy transports to meet the needs of the military.
Last week’s congressional action, with President Obama’s expected signature, will extend the Long Beach C-17 production line to late 2011. Boeing is actively pursuing 6 more additional orders and if these are signed, that would ensure the line runs through the end of 2011. Also happening last week was a report that the Indian Air Force, IAF, has “short listed” an order for 10 C-17s. IAF chief of air staff, air chief marshal PV Naik, has been quoted as saying “the aircraft’s selection has been made”. We asked Boeing about this and here’s the official response: “We are aware of recent press reports and Boeing would be pleased to offer the C-17 to the Indian Air Force, but the IAF or MoD can best answer this question about their procurement plans. The C-17 was a superb performer at both the 2007 and 2009 Aero India shows in Bangalore where members of the MoD and the Indian Air Force had the opportunity to see the aircraft in action. We believe the C-17 can fulfill India’s needs for military and humanitarian strategic lift to help it meet its growing domestic and regional responsibilities.”
If this order comes through for Boeing, the line would be well into 2012 and that’s beyond your Editor’s planning horizon!
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About Dolores Barr, Publisher
Dolores Barr has lived in Rossmoor since 1992 and has created this site to provide local news for the people of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Leisure World, Sunset Beach, and Surfside, California. My husband and I have had two students graduate from the Los Alamitos Unified School District and currently our Grandson, Ricky Apodaca, grade 3 at Weaver Elementary, is actively involved in youth baseball through LAYB and youth football through FNL.
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