The US Air Force has been in discussions with Boeing about restarting production of the C-17 Globemaster III. Congress has directed the Air Force to prepare a briefing on the feasibility of acquiring new C-17s.
The Air Force's current fleet of 222 C-17s is critical for power projection globally, but the aircraft have been under strain due to recent crises. The House Committee on Armed Services wants the Air Force to assess the technical and industrial feasibility of restarting production, including the status of tooling and supplier base viability.
Boeing has expressed encouragement about the discussions, and the company is willing to work with the Air Force to understand its requirements. The cost of restarting production is unclear, but a 2011 RAND report estimated it could cost between $2.1 and $2.7 billion to begin making C-17A models again.
