Royal Canadian Air Force takes delivery of its fifth CC-177 Globemaster III military airlifter.

"Our five CC-177 Globemasters give Canada a huge advantage in projecting our presence around the world,” said Defence Minister Kenney. “In the past, Canada was completely dependent on other countries for strategic airlift capability. Now we can move personnel and equipment around the globe in short order. This is essential for our ability to respond quickly to urgent military and humanitarian missions.”

The additional Globemaster will extend the life expectancy of the entire fleet by about seven and a half years. Moreover, with the purchase of an additional aircraft, the RCAF is projected to have at least three Globemasters available more than 90 per cent of the time to respond to concurrent international or domestic crises. This represents an increase of approximately 25 per cent.

With its 160,000-lb. payload, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles and land on a small, austere airfield of 3,000 feet or less. It can be re-fueled in flight. On the ground, a fully-loaded aircraft, using engine reversers, can back up a two per cent slope, states its manufacturer, Boeing.

The current Globemaster fleet has been playing an integral role in ferrying supplies and troops to establish and resupply the Canadian camp in Kuwait during Operation Impact. It has also delivered essential materiel to CF-188 Hornet crews deployed in support of NATO as part of Operation Reassurance and the international response to the Putin regime’s aggression against Ukraine.

The Globemasters are also used to support domestic operations, including more than 75 missions to Canada’s North to deliver 1.5 million litres of fuel, seven million pounds of equipment and 3,120 personnel to locations such as Alert, Iqaluit and Resolute Bay in Nunavut.

“We’ve chalked up enormous successes with our first four Globemasters,” said Lieutenant-General Blondin. “With the arrival of our new Globemaster, we will be more agile, more flexible, and better able to respond when the Government of Canada calls on the RCAF.”

Using resources the Government had previously set aside for National Defence to implement the Canada First Defence Strategy, the acquisition project cost is estimated at $415 million, including the cost to purchase the aircraft, spare engine, ancillary equipment, specialized systems, project costs and contingency for exchange rate fluctuation. The cost for 12 years of integrated in-service support for the additional aircraft is estimated at $30 million.