Lockheed Martin redelivered the 32nd C-5M Super Galaxy upgraded on its conversion line at Marietta, Ga., completing 2015 Galaxy deliveries a week ahead of schedule on Dec. 9, the company announced. Former C-5B, serial number 86-0016, was ferried from Marietta to Stewart ANGB, N.Y., for interior refurbishment before onward delivery to Travis AFB, Calif. The aircraft logged 21,510 flying hours before conversion to C-5M standards, and will become the 14th Super Galaxy delivered to Travis. The aircraft underwent both Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) and the separate Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) to bring it up to C-5M standards. The Air Force is converting a total of 52 legacy C-5s under the combined AMP and RERP programs. Lockheed Martin delivered the previous C-5M at the end of October.
The credibility of America’s deterrent is waning, and the way to get it back is by restructuring defense leadership and raising the defense budget almost 100 percent, according to a new paper from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.