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West Orange County Features / The Boeing Company
Published 03/09/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

a Delta IV rocket procured by Boeing Launch Services lifts off with the satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 4 at 6:57 p.m. Eastern time.
a Delta IV rocket procured by Boeing Launch Services lifts off with the satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 4 at 6:57 p.m. Eastern time. (Photo: Boeing photo.)


Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced it has received the first on-orbit signals from the third Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) built by Boeing in El Segundo for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The satellite, GOES-P, is healthy and ready to begin thruster firings to move to its on-orbit test location.

Published 03/01/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

In a bid to buy time, Boeing recently announced it is slowing C-17 production at its Long Beach final assembly plant. With the Obama Administration trying to end production of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifter, the company wants to keep the line operating as long as possible with the dwindling number of firm orders already in the books. Boeing employs about 5,000 locals to build the planes and the recent decision could cause layoffs.

Published 02/15/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The Obama Administration, the Challengers, recently unveiled their proposed defense budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2010. Just like last year, once again they want to end production of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifters, and once again, most elected officials that are speaking up, the Defenders, give the idea a strong right jab. Hanging in the balance are the jobs of about 5,000 Boeing Long Beach employees who assemble the big four engine cargo planes.

Published 10/12/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

A Boeing C-17, the thirdl for the NATO Airlift Management Organization (NAMO) in support of NAMO's 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) initiative, takes off from Boeing's final assembly facility in Long Beach.
A Boeing C-17, the third for the NATO Airlift Management Organization (NAMO) in support of NAMO's 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) initiative, takes off from Boeing's final assembly facility in Long Beach. (Photo: Boeing photo by Paul Pinner)

With last week’s senate passage of the 2010 defense budget, there are only two short rounds left in this match up between the Obama Administration C-17 challengers, and the Defenders of the large military airlifter. The next round, expected soon, will be the conference committee to reconcile the Senate and House versions. Then, the final round, President Obama’s signature.

Published 09/28/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

It wasn't in the New York Times, or the Los Angeles Times, or on any other mainstream news source. It wasn't covered by any of the other local media outlets which typically cover Long Beach's C-17, and it was not even on the White House web site, but, nevertheless, last week there was a major blow and a near complete victory, in the C-17 budget boxing match up. At this point, the Obama administration Challengers are tottering back and forth and just about to fall to their knees in complete defeat. The cause of this impending defeat is not a crushing blow from the C-17 Defenders, but rather, a basic surrender--throwing in the towel.

Published 09/14/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The Qatar Emiri Air Force's second C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Boeing final assembly facility in Long Beach following a delivery ceremony, completing Qatar's initial order for the world's most advanced airlifter.  Sept. 10, 2009
The Qatar Emiri Air Force's second C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Boeing final assembly facility in Long Beach following a delivery ceremony, completing Qatar's initial order for the world's most advanced airlifter. Sept. 10, 2009 (Photo: Boeing photo by Michael Gail)

This round goes to the C-17 Defenders, in a clear and decisive victory. The end of this C-17 budget boxing matchup is fast approaching. It has been widely reported that the Senate appropriations committee passed a budget bill with funding for 10 more of the big planes, but that might not be the most important blow in this match.

Published 08/27/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Dr. David Lillington, President of Spectrolab, holds a solar wafer, which will be eventually cut into individual concentrator solar cells.
Dr. David Lillington, President of Spectrolab, holds a solar wafer, which will be eventually cut into individual concentrator solar cells. (Photo: The Boeing Company.)

Southern California based Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc., announced yesterday that a solar cell it manufactured has set a new world record for terrestrial concentrator solar cell efficiency--what on earth does that mean?. The cell can convert 41.6 percent of concentrated sunlight into electricity. The local team takes the record away from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, whose previous world record cell was able to convert 41.1%. The world record was validated by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., which independently tested the efficiency of the Spectrolab cell.

Published 08/10/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

A C-17 Globemaster III, like the one pictured here, aeromedically evacuated a British soldier in late July from Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. Before the soldier could be evacuated, an additional C-17 and a C-130 Hercules were needed to airlift specialized medical teams and equipment into place.
A C-17 Globemaster III, like the one pictured here, aeromedically evacuated a British soldier in late July from Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. Before the soldier could be evacuated, an additional C-17 and a C-130 Hercules were needed to airlift specialized medical teams and equipment into place. "We received the call on our operations floor to airlift the British soldier from Afghanistan to Germany and immediately did what we could to make it happen," said Col. John Martins, the 618th TACC director of operations who led coordination efforts for the mission. In less than six hours, a C-17 Globemaster III previously scheduled to fly a cargo mission was airborne with the required medical personnel and equipment from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Afghanistan. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Clay Lancaster)

The congress goes on vacation, Washington focus's on national healthcare, Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed as the nation's newest Supreme Court justice, the U.S. Air Force stands up a new strategic command--and, nobody's talking about the budget or the 5,000 Long Beach jobs hanging in the balance. Undaunted, Boeing makes ready for another C-17 delivery tomorrow.

Published 07/27/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

As the US government tries to determine how many more C-17s the Air Force should get, the Multinational Alliance's 1st Boeing C-17 Joins Heavy Airlift Wing in Hungary, PÁPA AIR BASE, Hungary, July 27, 2009 -- Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai delivers remarks today at a ceremony commemorating the activation of a new airlift capability for 10 NATO and two Partnership for Peace nations, as the first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III acquired by the NATO Airlift Management Organization and the Strategic Airlift Capability consortium officially joins the Heavy Airlift Wing at Pápa Air Base.
As the US government tries to determine how many more C-17s the Air Force should get, the Multinational Alliance's 1st Boeing C-17 Joins Heavy Airlift Wing in Hungary, PÁPA AIR BASE, Hungary, July 27, 2009 -- Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai delivers remarks today at a ceremony commemorating the activation of a new airlift capability for 10 NATO and two Partnership for Peace nations, as the first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III acquired by the NATO Airlift Management Organization and the Strategic Airlift Capability consortium officially joins the Heavy Airlift Wing at Pápa Air Base. (Photo: The Boeing Company)

This round clearly goes to the Obama Administration challengers with the U.S. Senate voting to end both the C-17 and the F-22 programs. Is the match up over? Not hardly.

Published 10/19/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The fiscal 2010 defense budget bill continues to work its way through the legislative process—with 10 additional C-17s included. Also included, however, is the veto bait second engine for the joint strike fighter, the F-35. When the senate passed their bill earlier this month, they avoided including the big three veto threat programs that the Obama Administration does not want. But, when the House passed the conference committee report, the second engine was included.

Published 10/05/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

 A mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle sits on the tarmac Oct. 1 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, after being offloaded from a C-17 Globemaster III less than a day after leaving Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
A mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle sits on the tarmac Oct. 1 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, after being offloaded from a C-17 Globemaster III less than a day after leaving Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. (Photo: SENIOR AIRMAN SUSAN TRACY / AIR FORCE)

Last Thursday, the government’s new fiscal year began—with no defense budget. The C-17 Challengers, this time led by Republican Senator John Mccain, came out swinging, but the Defenders of the heavy airlift military planes, through up a good block, and the Challengers lost yet another round in this continuing budget match up. It has been reported that Mccain will try again to kill the C-17 this Tuesday.

Published 09/21/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Boeing facility in Long Beach after being delivered to the NATO Airlift Management Organization (NAMO). The aircraft is the second of three that will support NAMO's 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) initiative.
A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Boeing facility in Long Beach after being delivered to the NATO Airlift Management Organization (NAMO). The aircraft is the second of three that will support NAMO's 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) initiative. (Photo: Boeing photo by Michael Gail)

With the end of the government's fiscal year only 8 days away, Boeing turns up the lobbying heat and the climax of the C-17 fiscal 2010 budget boxing match is approaching. As another C-17 is delivered to the European alliance, Boeing uses Facebook, YouTube, an on-line petition, and a dedicated web site, to rally its cause. A vote could come this week.

Published 09/07/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

After all the excitement of two weeks ago, things have been pretty quiet in the C-17 budget boxing matchup. With the congress still on vacation, and everybody talking about healthcare, there was not much focus on the big planes and their budget. Still, there are a few interesting items to note, and then we will present a useful overview on how these planes are actually used--written by two of the USAF pilots who fly them.

Published 08/24/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The sun set and storm clouds rolled in as a crew from the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, refueled SAC 01, the first of three C-17s to be acquired by the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability Program, over the Atlantic Ocean July 17. The aerial refueling extended SAC 01’s maiden flight home to Pápa Air Base, Hungary, and was the first in-flight refueling for the new aircraft.
The sun set and storm clouds rolled in as a crew from the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, refueled SAC 01, the first of three C-17s to be acquired by the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability Program, over the Atlantic Ocean July 17. The aerial refueling extended SAC 01’s maiden flight home to Pápa Air Base, Hungary, and was the first in-flight refueling for the new aircraft. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Danielle Johnson)

The U.S. Congress is still on vacation, but--let the next round begin anyway!

Grab your seat, the C-17 budget boxing match between the Challengers and the Defenders is--shall we say--back in full swing? For those new to these pages, the Challengers are the Obama Administration, represented by the President himself, Secretary of Defense , Robert M. Gates, a few brave congressional representatives, and a host of others. The Defenders, include numerous elected officials--from U.S. Senators, to more humble folks, The Boeing Company, union leaders, and almost everybody else. Also, there are your Editors who are simply trying to make some sense of it all. The Challengers want to end production of everybody's favorite big plane--the C-17 Globemaster III heavy airlifter. The Defenders want to keep building the last large military airlifter still produced in the U.S. About 5,000 workers (and presumably, voters) assemble the big planes at Boeing's plant in Long Beach.

Published 08/03/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The C-17 Globemaster III performs tactical airlift and airdrop missions, transports passengers, delivers troop resupply and all types of cargo throughout Southwest Asia in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
The C-17 Globemaster III performs tactical airlift and airdrop missions, transports passengers, delivers troop resupply and all types of cargo throughout Southwest Asia in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Clay Lancaster)

As the House of Representatives passes a 2010 defense budget, the porkers' howls grow louder and louder. For this installment of our Monday mornings C-17 series, we have an extra special treat for our readers--C-17 comedy!. If you are new to these pages, before reading this installment, readers might want to skip to the bottom and read a few of the related articles. This will give a good introduction to the C-17 match up and will increase the laughter of the following portions of this article.

Published 07/20/2009 - 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time

SAC 01 takes off beginning its 5,300-nautical-mile maiden flight July 14 from Long Beach, Calif., to Papa Air Base, Hungary.  The aircraft is the first of three C-17 Globemaster IIIs to be acquired by the 12-nation strategic Airlift Capability Program. The Hungarian air base is home to the SAC Program's multinational, operational-level unit, the Heavy Airlift Wing, which will officially be activated July 27.
SAC 01 takes off beginning its 5,300-nautical-mile maiden flight July 14 from Long Beach, Calif., to Papa Air Base, Hungary. The aircraft is the first of three C-17 Globemaster IIIs to be acquired by the 12-nation strategic Airlift Capability Program. The Hungarian air base is home to the SAC Program's multinational, operational-level unit, the Heavy Airlift Wing, which will officially be activated July 27.

Where do President Obama and Secretary of Defense , Robert M. Gates, really stand on the C-17? The answer is far from clear. While the administration has drawn a line on the F-22 fifth generation air superiority fighter, they are essentially silent on the C-17 heavy airlifter.