tomtom22
Chief Engineer
Australia Wants $2 Billion C-17 Deal
source: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,93258,00.html?ESRC=eb.nlInsideDefense.com NewsStand | John Liang | April 05, 2006
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency today notified Congress of a possible $2 billion sale of C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft and related equipment to Australia. In a statement, DSCA said Australia had requested four C-17s, up to 18 Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines, as many as four AN/AAQ-24V(13) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems and up to 15 AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles and related services and support equipment. Australia currently lacks a heavy airlift capability and has to rely on foreign sources for such services, according to DSCA. This generally takes the form of either U.S. Air Force airlift or contract carriers that use Russian heavy airlift aircraft.
This may only extend the C-17 production line about 7 months, otherwise without more orders from the US AirForce or other nations, the C-17 production line will shut down @ the end of 2008.