The Air Force’s 218th production C-17 arrived for beddown at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., earlier this month. Col. Bruce Bowers, commander of Air Force Reserve Command’s 446th Airlift Wing, piloted the factory-fresh airlifter from Boeing’s assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif., to McChord Field on Sept. 14, according to a Sept. 21 base release. The 446th AW cooperates with the Active Duty 62nd AW to operate and maintain McChord’s three C-17 flying squadrons. The Air Force has ordered 224 C-17s. (McChord photo caption by Sandra Pishner)
Air Force senior statesmen explained the reasons they jointly sent a letter to Congress urging restoration of the E-7 Wedgetail and more F-35s to the fiscal 2026 defense budget.