End of an Era: Boeing Delivers Last Air Force C-17

Stephen Pope

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 09:21 PM ET

Verified

** C-17 Globemaster III**

Key Takeaways:

Boeing delivered the 223rd and final C-17 Globemaster III to the U.S. Air Force, concluding domestic production of the transport aircraft after two decades.
The C-17 assembly plant in Long Beach, California, which employs about 3,000 workers, will shut down by 2015 once remaining foreign market C-17s are built.
Despite early design challenges, the C-17 evolved to become the U.S. military's most reliable cargo plane, boasting the highest readiness rate.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Boeing has delivered the final C-17 produced for the Air Force, two decades after the massive four-engine transport began military duty.

Officials took delivery of the C-17 Globemaster III — the 223rd sold to the Air Force — during a ceremony attended by hundreds of workers at Boeing’s Long Beach, California, assembly plant. The factory will be shut down by 2015 after remaining foreign market C-17s are built. The plant employs around 3,000 workers, Boeing said.