Boeing C - 17 Globemaster III The Boeing C - 17 Globemaster III was a tactical transport aircraft made by " Boeing Integrated Defense Systems " , And operated by U . S . Air Force , Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force . The NATO plans to acquire the aircraft . Description . The Boeing C - 17 Globemaster III military airlift aircraft is a high - wing , four - engine , T - tailed military transport vehicle capable of carrying payloads up to 169 , 000 lb . It has an international range and the ability to land on small airfields . A fully integrated electronic cockpit and advanced cargo systems allow a crew of three ; the pilot , co - pilot and loadmaster , to operate all systems on any type of mission . Since it entered service in January 1995 , 187 aircraft have been delivered to the US Air Force . In February 2009 , a $ 2 . 95bn contract for the 15 additional C - 17s will took the tally to 205 C - 17s destined for the US Air Force by August 2010 . The UK Royal Air Force has six C - 17s , which have , between them , flown more than 22 million nautical miles ( 25 million miles or 41 million kilometres ) in their eight years of operations In August 2006 , a fifth aircraft ( delivered in April 2008 ) was ordered and the purchase of the first four aircraft in 2008 was confirmed . In December 2007 , the UK purchased a sixth aircraft , aircraft which was delivered in June 2008 . In March 2006 , Australia selected the C - 17 , with a requirement for four aircraft . The first aircraft was delivered in December 2006 , the second in May 2007 , the third in February 2008 and the final aircraft in March 2008 . In July 2006 , Canada announced the selection of the C - 17 with a requirement for four aircraft . The contract was signed in February 2007 . Deliveries began in August 2007 and concluded in April 2008 . In September 2006 , Nato announced its intention to buy an initial three or four C - 17 aircraft . In June 2007 , an international consortium , consisting of fifteen Nato countries plus two partner countries ( Finland and Sweden ) , agreed to set up the strategic airlift capability ( SAC ) which will be based at Papa Air Base in Hungary . A new Nato Airlift Management Organisation ( NAMO ) will purchase , own , and manage the aircraft . A multinational military unit , the heavy airlift wing ( HAW ) , will conduct airlift operations . In May 2008 , SAC requested the foreign military sale of the first two C - 17 aircraft . Deliveries are planned to begin in spring 2009 and all three aircraft are to be delivered by the end of 2009 . The SAC1 C - 17 ' s first flight is scheduled in June 2009 . In March 2007 , Boeing announced that C - 17 production would conclude in 2009 , when current orders have been fulfilled . However the purchase of 15 additional aircraft for the USAF was approved in 2008 . In July 2008 , Qatar placed an order for two C - 17 , to be delivered from mid - 2009 . The United Arab Emirates announced on 24 February 2009 that it will acquire four C - 17s . There are currently 198 C - 17s in service . Flight - testing of the C - 17 using a blend of synthetic fuel and JP - 8 began in October 2007 , as part of a USAF process to develop more - efficient fuel for its fleet , with less reliance on imported petrol . Certification for the aircraft powered by synthetic fuel was completed in February 2008 . Boeing has 687 suppliers in 43 states . Current orders will carry C - 17 production till January 2011 . Then it would need the support of the air force for any initial fielding of the advanced C - 17 that is planned for 2015 . Design . A propulsive lift system allows the C - 17 to achieve safe landings on short runways . The C - 17 is capable of landing a full payload in less than 3 , 000 ft . The propulsive lift system uses engine exhaust to generate lift : the engine exhaust is directed onto large flaps , which extend into the exhaust stream , allowing the aircraft to fly a steep approach at a relatively low landing speed . The aircraft is capable of turning in a small radius and can complete a 180° star turn in 80 ft . The aircraft can also carry out routine backing . A fully loaded aircraft is capable of backing up a 2 % gradient slope using the directed flow thrust reversers . Cockpit . The C - 17 cockpit accommodates pilot , co - pilot and two observer positions . The digital avionics system has four Honeywell multi - function cathode - ray tube displays , two full - capability HUDs head - up displays ) plus cargo systems . The quadruple - redundant electronic flight control system also has a mechanically - actuated backup system . There are two Lockheed Martin central processing computers , one Hamilton Sundstrand data management computer and two Honeywell air data computers . A program to upgrade the C - 17A avionics includes new mission computers and displays , new software for the warning and caution system , being provided by Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems . The automatic flight control system will be upgraded with BAE Systems Controls CsLEOS real - time operating system and will be certified for GATM ( global air traffic management ) system requirements . Cargo System . The design of the cargo compartment allows the C - 17 to carry a wide range of vehicles , palleted cargo , paratroops , air - drop loads and aeromedical evacuees . The cargo compartment has a sufficiently large cross - section to transport large wheeled and tracked vehicles , tanks , helicopters ( such as the AH - 64 Apache ) , artillery , and weapons such as the Patriot missile system . Three Bradley armoured vehicles comprise one deployment load on the C - 17 . The US Army M1A1 main battle tank can be carried with other vehicles . The maximum payload is 170 , 900 lb ( 77 , 519 kg ) with 18 pallet positions , including four on the ramp . Airdrop capabilities include : single load of up to 60 , 000 lb ( 27 , 216 kg ) , sequential loads of up to 110 , 000 lb ( 49 , 895 kg ) , Container Delivery System ( CDS ) airdrop up to 40 containers , 2 , 350 lb ( 1 , 066 kg ) each ; up to 102 paratroops . The aircraft is equipped for LAPES ( low - altitude parachute extraction system ) drops . For Medevac , the C - 17 can transport up to 36 litter and 54 ambulatory patients and attendants . C - 17s can take off from a 7 , 600 ft airfield , fly 2 , 400 nm and refuel while in flight . It can land in 3 , 500 ft ( 1 , 064m ) and 90 ft - wide ( 27 . 4m ) airstrip . Counter Measures . The C - 17 is equipped with BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions ( formerly Tracor ) AN / ALE - 47 countermeasure flare dispensers and the ATK AN / AAR - 47 missile warning system . AN / AAR - 47 has a suite of surface - mounted thermal sensors around the aircraft , which detect the thermal signature of the missile exhaust plume . Frequency selection and signal processing techniques are used to minimise the false alarm rate . The system provides a warning to the crew via the cockpit indicator unit of the presence and direction of the missile threat . A signal is automatically sent to the ALE - 47 dispenser . AN / ALE - 47 is capable of carrying a mix of expendable countermeasures , including jammers . The system interfaces to the C - 17 aircraft ' s sensors . The aircrew can select the mode of operation of the dispenser for fully automatic , semi - automatic or manual operation . The cockpit control unit can be used to input mission data , together with the numbers and types of expendable countermeasures systems loaded into the ALE - 47 . The cockpit controller updates and displays the status of the dispenser and the numbers and types of countermeasures remaining . The ALE - 47 is capable of dispensing the new - generation active expendable decoys , POET and GEN - X , in addition to the conventional chaff and flare decoys that are compatible with the previous - generation ALE - 40 and ALE - 39 dispensers . 56 USAF C - 17 aircraft are being equipped with the Northrop Grumman large aircraft infrared countermeasures ( LAIRCM ) system . LAIRCM is based on the AN / AAQ - 24 ( V ) NEMESIS . It entered low - rate initial production in August 2002 and completed initial operational test and evaluation in July 2004 . 25 upgraded aircraft have been delivered . The system is scheduled to enter service in 2007 . The four aircraft leased by the UK RAF are fitted with LAIRCM . Turbofan Engines . The four Pratt & Whitney PW2040 ( military designation - F117 - PW - 100 ) turbofan engines with 40 , 440 lb thrust each are integrated in the wings . Engine thrust reversers , which are operable in flight , and speedbrakes enable the aircraft to carry out rapid deceleration and descent manoeuvres . The cruise speed is between Mach 0 . 74 and 0 . 77 . The range without in - flight refuelling , and with a payload of 160 , 000 lb , is 2 , 400 nm . Aerial refuelling provides an intercontinental non - stop range .