A Seven Aircraft Fudge Factor: The C-17 is in such heavy demand and working so well, in fact, that the fleet is being worn out at a dramatic rate. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, speaking at a Capitol Hill seminar Wednesday, said the C-17s are being used up at a rate “60 percent faster” than was envisioned, hence the addition of seven new C-17s in the Air Force 2007 unfunded priorities list. Wynne added that the business term for this situation is “accelerated depreciation.”
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.