Boeing said Monday that it has received a U.S. Air Force contract to develop a modernized flight deck for the C-17A Globemaster III. The effort includes design, production, integration and certification of updated avionics and related systems intended to replace aging equipment across the fleet.
U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) released a new airlift recapitalization strategy in November with plans to keep the C-17 in service through 2075. Boeing hinted at plans earlier in the year to potentially restart C-17 production for an unnamed country interested in the aircraft.
The new flight deck modernization will incorporate a modular open systems architecture designed to allow future upgrades and the addition of new capabilities over time. Boeing said the work will support continued operation of the aircraft for the long term, with the Air Force planning to maintain the platform in service for several decades.
“The C-17A has been the backbone of global air mobility for over three decades,” Travis Williams, vice president of United States Air Force Mobility & Training Services at Boeing, said. “With the U.S. Air Force requirement to keep the C-17A viable through 2075, we already have a clear and achievable roadmap to support their needs, and the needs of our international partners around the globe.”
Boeing delivered 275 C-17A aircraft between 1993 and 2015, including aircraft operated by U.S. and international forces.