Thirteen NATO allies have signed a letter of intent to buy C-17 transport airplanes, unveiling a much-needed airlift plan. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, predicted last month that a proposal to buy Boeing C-17s was imminent, but whether this formal request will enable Boeing to keep its C-17 line open beyond 2009 remains to be seen. A NATO statement indicates the alliance has spent six months developing its “NATO Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC),” an airlift plan that calls initially for three to four C-17s. A NATO agency has begun negotiations with Boeing, and because the alliance views gaining a strategic airlift capability as urgent, it expects to wrap up contract negotiations by year’s end, so it can receive the first airplane at least by late 2007.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.