At the 2025 Paris Air Show held this week, Boeing shared that it is in the “early infancy” stages of discussions about potentially restarting production of the C‑17 Globemaster III.
Speaking at the show, Turbjörn Sjögren, Boeing Global Services VP and general manager for government services, said the manufacturing giant has received interest from several countries, and that one unnamed nation is already engaged in preliminary conversations regarding a production restart. He also clarified that Boeing does not have any planned replacement for the C‑17.
Shephard Media first reported the news on Tuesday.
Production of the four‑engine strategic transport aircraft ended in November 2015 at Boeing’s Long Beach, California, plant, after 279 aircraft were built. Since the line was shut down, Boeing has continued supporting the C‑17 fleet—both through logistics and sustainment programs—but has had no active manufacturing capability.
Countries including India, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the United Kingdom have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring additional C‑17 airframes. Boeing officials indicated that some nations regretted not securing orders before the line’s closure in 2015.
Sjögren termed a production restart “a very extraordinary effort,” and emphasized that current engagement remains limited to initial, exploratory discussions. Boeing has not disclosed a timeline, financial threshold, or performance targets linked to any restart decision.
