[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 18 (Monday, January 30, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E218-E219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    C-17'S READY TO TACKLE THE WORLD

                                 ______


                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 30, 1995
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to announce to my colleagues 
that the United States has a military force projection capability today 
that is unprecedented in the history of airlift.
  The reason for this unparalleled capability is simple. The U.S. Air 
Force's first C-17 Globemaster III squadron at Charleston Air Force 
Base, SC, was declared operational a week ago. This is the first major 
step in overhauling America's ability to carry out the Air Force's 
Global Reach missions.
  This event is all the more significant to me, since this great 
milestone is really a tribute to the over 10,000 employees at McDonnell 
Douglas in Long Beach, most of whom I represent in these Chambers and 
whose magnificent efforts have been essential to making the C-17 the 
best, most capable airlifter ever built.
  Critically needed outsized equipment for humanitarian aid, such as 
water purification systems, can now be airlifted to previously 
inaccessible runways in remote areas of the world. America's ability to 
airlift heavy, outsized combat equipment and firepower into short, 
austere airfields to support U.S. and allied ground forces during a 
security crisis is now a reality. It is essential that equipment be 
delivered directly to the troops in the field, and because of the C-
17's unique on-load/off-load capability, it now can be.
  The declaration of initial operational capability means that the C-17 
has passed all flight tests and is ready for any type of military or 
humanitarian mission. The 12 aircraft will be shared by the 17th 
Airlift Squadron, assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, and the Air Force 
Reserve's 317th Airlift Squadron, assigned to the 315th Airlift Wing, 
both at Charleston.
  All of you who joined last year in supporting the amendment I 
introduced along with my colleague and neighbor, Representative Jane 
Harman--to provide full funding for the President's request for the C-
17--can take pride in your vote and in your role toward providing this 
essential airlift capability. The C-17 is the most flexible, most 
capable airlifter ever produced. Its entry into fully operational 
status is an important landmark which will benefit our troops in the 
field and those in need throughout the world for years to come.
  At this point in the record, I would like to include an article, ``C-
17s Ready to Tackle the World,'' from the January 18 Long Beach Press-
Telegram and news releases by the Department of Defense and Air 
Mobility Command about this historic declaration.
        [From the Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram, Jan. 18, 1995]

                    C-17s Ready to Tackle the World

                          (By Lindsay Chaney)
       Long Beach.--The U.S. Air Force on Tuesday declared its 
     squadron of a dozen C-17 transports ready for worldwide 
     service.
       The declaration of ``Initial Operation Capability'' means 
     that the C-17 has passed all flight tests and is ready for 
     any type of military or humanitarian mission.
       Also Tuesday, McDonnell Douglas delivered a 13th plane to 
     the Air Force.
       The C-17 will be operated by the 17th Squadron of the 437th 
     Airlift Wing, based at Charleston Air Force Base in South 
     Carolina.
       Built by McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, the C-17 is 
     designed as a three-in-one airplane to replace the aging C-
     141 Starlifter fleet as the military's core transport plane. 
     The C-17 can carry twice the payload of a C-141, but more 
     importantly can carry outsized equipment such as tanks, 
     helicopters and missile batteries, such as the C-5 Galaxy. 
     Like the much smaller C-130 Hercules, it can also take off 
     and land at small airstrips.
       Its contract with the Air Force required McDonnell Douglas 
     to have 12 operational C- 
     [[Page E219]] 17s delivered to the Charleston wing by 
     midnight New Year's Eve. The 12th plane was delivered to the 
     Air Force on Dec. 22, but because an earlier plane was being 
     modified, this made only 11 operational planes on the flight 
     line at Charleston.
       Modification crews began working around the clock after 
     Christmas to meet the delivery deadline and finished on the 
     afternoon of Dec. 31. The Air Force accepted delivery of the 
     modified plane at 6:25 p.m.
       Because of past problems with cost overruns and production 
     delays, the C-17 program is on probation with the Department 
     of Defense. The government has committed to buying 40 planes, 
     and will make a decision in November whether to order up to 
     an additional 80. An important consideration in making the 
     decision will be how well the C-17 performs this July during 
     a 30-day test called a ``reliability, maintainability and 
     availability'' evaluation.
                  [Department of Defense News Release]

                First C-17 Squadron Declared Operational

       The commander of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command 
     declared the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the 
     first C-17 Globemaster III squadron today. Gen. Robert L. 
     Rutherford's decision is a significant milestone for 
     America's newest airlifter. It means the 17th Airlift 
     Squadron, assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, and the Air 
     Force Reserve's 317th Airlift Squadron, assigned to the 315th 
     Airlift Wing, both at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., will 
     officially begin flying operational AMC ``Global Reach'' 
     missions.
       The first C-17 arrived at Charleston AFB in June 1993. By 
     December 1994, the 437th was fully equipped with a fleet of 
     12 aircraft and 48 crews. The 12 aircraft will be shared with 
     the Air Force Reserve unit. Together, both active duty and 
     reserve aircrews have already demonstrated the C-17's ability 
     to airlift personnel and equipment with missions to Southwest 
     Asia, Central America and the Caribbean basin.
       IOC declaration is a major step in modernizing the nation's 
     strategic airlift fleet. The C-17, designed to replace the 
     aging C-141 Starlifter fleet as the nation's core airlift 
     aircraft, combines the best features of older airlifters 
     within a single airframe. The C-17 is about the size of the 
     C-141, but can carry twice the Starlifter's payload. It can 
     also carry outsized equipment strategic distances like the C-
     5 Galaxy, yet land on airstrips normally accessible only to 
     the C-130 Hercules.
       Built by McDonnell Douglas at Long Beach, Calif., the C-17 
     can carry 160,000 pounds of cargo, unrefueled, 2,400 nautical 
     miles at a cruise speed of 450 knots. With a maximum payload 
     of 169,000 pounds, the aircraft is designed to carry every 
     air transportable piece of equipment in the U.S. Army 
     inventory, from Patriot air defense missile batteries and 
     Bradley fighting vehicles to M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks.
       The C-17 can be aerial refueled, land on airstrips as short 
     as 3,000 feet, back up, rapidly offload cargo, and is 
     designed to airdrop equipment, cargo or paratroopers. The 
     aircraft completed developmental testing of these 
     capabilities on Dec. 16, 1994. During these tests, the C-17 
     set 21 world performance records in three weight classes of 
     the heavy aircraft category and one additional world record 
     in the short takeoff and landing category.
       The Air Force has contracted to buy 40 C-17s from McDonnell 
     Douglas. A Defense Acquisition Board decision on extending 
     the buy beyond 40 aircraft is scheduled for November 1995.
                  [Air Mobility Command Media Release]

                First C-17 Squadron Declared Operational

       Scott Air Force Base, IL.--The commander of Air Mobility 
     Command declared the Initial Operational Capability of the 
     Air Force's first C-17 squadron today. Gen. Robert L. 
     Rutherford's decision is a significant milestone for 
     America's newest airlifter. It means the 17th Airlift 
     Squadron, assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston 
     AFB, S.C., and the Air Force Reserve's 317th Airlift 
     Squadron, assigned to the 315th Airlift Wing (Associate), 
     will officially begin flying operational AMC ``Global Reach'' 
     missions.
       The first C-17 arrived at Charleston in June 1993. By 
     December 1994 the unit was fully equipped with a fleet of 12 
     aircraft and 48 crews. Together, both active duty and 
     associate reserve aircrews have already demonstrated the C-
     17's ability to airlift personnel and equipment with missions 
     to Southwest Asia, Central America and the Caribbean basin.
       IOC declaration is a major step in modernizing the nation's 
     strategic airlift fleet. The C-17 Globemaster III, designed 
     to replace the aging C-141 Starlifter floot as the nation's 
     core airlift aircraft, combines the best features of older 
     airlifters within a single airframe. The C-17 is about the 
     size of the C-141, but can carry twice the Starlifter's 
     payload. It can also carry outsize equipment strategic 
     distances like the C-5 Galaxy, yet land on airstrips normally 
     accessible only to the C-130 Hercules.
       Built by McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, Calif., the C-17 
     can carry 160,000 pounds of cargo, unrefueled, 2,400 nautical 
     miles at a cruise speed of 450 knots. With a maximum payload 
     of 169,000 pounds, the aircraft is designed to carry every 
     air transportable piece of equipment in the U.S. Army 
     inventory, from Patriot air defense missile batteries and 
     Bradley fighting vehicles to MIAI Abrams main battle tanks. 
     The C-17 can be aerial refueled, land on airstrips as short 
     as 3,000 fleet, backup, rapidly offload cargo, and is 
     designed to airdrop equipment, cargo or paratroopers. On Dec. 
     16, 1994, the aircraft completed developmental testing of 
     these capabilities. During those tests the C-17 set 22 world 
     performance records in three weight classes of the heavy 
     aircraft category.
       The Air Force has contracted to buy 40 C-17s from McDonnell 
     Douglas. A Defense Acquisition Board decision on extending 
     the buy beyond 40 is scheduled for November 1995. Based on 
     demonstrated improvements in aircraft and contractor 
     performance, a favorable decision is expected, thus 
     fulfilling America's requirement for strategic airlift.
     

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