Oshkosh Marks USAF Anniversary with C-17

‘The Moose’ Helps EAA celebrate 75 years of the U.S. Air Force.

Friday, July 29, 2022 at 02:57 PM ET

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The McDonnell Douglas / Boeing C-17 Globemaster III boasts a cruise speed of around 450 knots at FL280. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force / Airman 1st Class Mikayla Heineck]

Key Takeaways:

The C-17 Globemaster III is a highly agile and capable strategic airlifter, excelling in short-field takeoffs and landings, partly due to its unique externally blown flap system and control sticks.
It serves a critical role in global military operations, transporting heavy cargo like tanks and over 100 soldiers, and can be quickly converted for medical evacuation.
Despite an average fleet age of 16.5 years, the C-17 is projected to remain in service for the U.S. Air Force well into the 2050s and 2060s, with significant contracts for continued maintenance.

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Faster than a Lockheed Martin C-130 with more agility and lower maintenance costs than a C-5, the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing (NYSE: BA) Globemaster III strategic airlifter—affectionately dubbed The Moose—has proved to be the master of short-field takeoff and landing capability.

This week, a Globemaster operated by the C-17 West Coast Demonstration Team based at McChord AFB (KTCM) in Tacoma, Washington, was among the stellar airplanes on hand at EAA’s AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force.