C-17 Globemaster for Australia

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5th C-17 Globemaster being considered Max Blenkin, AAP Defence Correspondent
February 28, 2011

AAP

Australia is considering whether to buy a fifth Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith said C-17s had been in service since 2007, delivering excellent service and providing the Australian Defence Force with its first truly global air lift capability.

Addressing the RAAF's 90th birthday symposium in Melbourne, Mr Smith said recent events in Queensland and Christchurch have underlined the C-17s as an essential part of Australia's capacity to respond to natural and regional disasters.

Advertisement: Story continues below He said C-17s also continued to support Australian and coalition forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East, providing military long-range heavy airlift.

"Given the significant work that is being undertaken by our current fleet of C-17 aircraft in support of operations, including recent disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and the unpredictable nature of some of these events, we are considering the acquisition of an additional C-17 aircraft now to provide Australia with a wider range of options to support such operations," he said.

Former coalition government defence minister Brendan Nelson announced in March 2006 the RAAF would acquire the four C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft in a deal worth some $2 billion.

That included training and support.

With that investment already made, Australia could expect to pay around $US220 million ($A217 million) for another aircraft, on figures cited by the US magazine Aviation Week in 2009.

C-17s were acquired to supplement the work of the RAAF's 24 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and also to avoid, as much as possible, the need to charter old Soviet-bloc transport aircraft to move large cargoes to the Middle East.

Mr Smith said one C-17 could carry four times the cargo load of a C-130 and cover twice the distance in three-quarters of the time.

New Zealand might get some use from this aircraft.

Mr Smith said he and New Zealand defence Minister Wayne Mapp agreed last month on enhanced cooperation, coordination and sharing in airlift.

He said he would discuss the proposed acquisition further with visiting US Air Force deputy under secretary Heidi Grant.

"We are seeking cost and availability information to enable consideration to be given to the acquisition of another C-17 aircraft," he said.

"An acquisition of an additional C-17 would almost certainly obviate any need for the acquisition of two additional C-130 aircraft, currently planned for after 2013-14."

smh.com.au