Today the IAF has a fleet of 11 C-17 Globemaster IIIs, in 2019; the 11th C-17 was inducted. With 11 in its fleet, outside the US, India became the biggest operator of these aircraft in the world.
The USAF eventually decided to cap its C-17 fleet at 223 aircraft; its final delivery was on 12 September 2013.
Royal Air Force
| Type | Origin | In service |
|---|
| Boeing Chinook | USA | 60 |
| Boeing C-17A Globemaster III | USA | 8 |
| Boeing Poseidon MRA1 | USA | 7 |
| British Aerospace 146 | UK | 4 |
The C-17, with a capability to carry around 70 tonnes of load and around 150 fully geared troops, will replace the Russian Il-76 as the biggest aircraft in the IAF inventory till now. The IL-76 has the capability to carry loads upto around 40 tonnes.
The major world powers have had strategic bombers since World War II (WW II). Even today, the three largest air forces of the world of the US, Russia and China, operate strategic bombers. India, with the fourth largest air force, does not have strategic bombers.
Ilyushin Il-76
| Il-76 |
|---|
| Introduction | June 1974 |
| Status | In production, in service |
| Primary users | Russian Air Force Ukrainian Air Force Indian Air Force Libyan Air Force |
| Number built | 960+ |
Who builds C-17?
McDonnell Douglas
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
A crowd watches as the final Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane built at the company's Long Beach plant taxis at the Long Beach Airport before departure on Sunday.
Boeing's C-17 is the core of the USAF's airlifting capability. With a 77,500kg (171,000lb) lifting capacity, the transport can carry paratroopers, patients on stretchers, vehicles and cargo pallets.
Ottawa has procured another C-17 military transport aircraft, bringing the total number of C-17s in the Royal Canadian Air Force's fleet to five. Currently, Canada's C-17s are being used to ferry supplies to Canadian Forces in Kuwait who are participating in Operation Impact.
Caldwell 17, a dwarf spheroidal galaxy of the Local Group in the constellation Cassiopeia. Carbon-17 (C-17 or 17C), an isotope of carbon. C17, a 17-Carbon molecule in chlorophyll metabolism.
N took the first step on Friday to end production of its C-17 military cargo plane in 2009 due to flagging interest from the U.S. government and overseas customers, the company said.
The C-17 can drop 102 paratroopers plus 8 equipment bundles, a single 27.2 ton (60,000 lb.) payload or sequential load drops of 49.9 tons (110,000 lbs.) via aerial delivery.
With well over 1,000 aircraft itself, the IAF is by no means small.
More on Hercules C-130JThe C-130J is an aircraft meant for special operations and has the capability to land at short and rough airstrips. It has a landing distance of 914 metres and a range of 4,000 kilometres. India currently operates 12 C-130J aircraft, the first of which was ordered in 2007.
C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and KC-46 Pegasus tankers have a full lavatory with sink, toilet and lockable door; KC-135 Stratotanker, KC-10 Extender and C-5 Super Galaxy aircraft all have lockable doors as well, said Air Force Materiel Command spokesman Brian Brackens.
