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Vought is the largest subcontractor to Boeing on the C-17
program. At its facilities in Dallas, Texas, and Milledgeville,
Ga., Vought fabricates and assembles the vertical stabilizer,
composite horizontal stabilizer, rudders, elevators, universal
aerial refueling receptacle slipway installation (UARRSI),
and the engine nacelles. In Brea, Calif., the company builds
the C-17 internal wing structure, which includes spar webs,
spar caps and stringers.
Key Product Features
- Vertical stabilizers built by Vought for the C-17 are 48 feet tall, 13 feet wide and weigh 7,847 pounds and are composed of aluminum, titanium, high-strength steel, and composite material.
- Horizontal stabilizers built by Vought for the C-17 are 65 feet from end to end, and each weighs 5,000 pounds and are composed of an aluminum substructure with composite skins and spars.
- Control surfaces, ailerons, elevators and rudders built by Vought for the C-17 are 15 to 21 feet long with a total shipset weight of 2,650 pounds. They are primarily composite construction.
- Nacelles built by Vought for the C-17 to house the F117 engine are built from multiple materials: composites, high-temperature composites, aluminum, titanium and inconel.
- The universal aerial refueling receptacle slipway installation (UARRSI) allows the C-17 to receive fuel from Air Force KC-135s and KC-10s, which greatly enhances its mission effectiveness and range. The UARRSI is an aluminum skin and stringer assembly that also contains the crew escape hatch and merges into the top of the fuselage.
Vought is under contract with Boeing to build and deliver assemblies for 209 C-17 aircraft most of 2009.
 The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest and most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the U.S. Air Force airlift fleet. The U.S. Air Force/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is designed to fulfill airlift needs well into the 21st century — carrying large combat equipment and troops or humanitarian aid across international distances directly to small austere airfields anywhere in the world. The aircraft is also capable of performing tactical airlift and airdrop missions when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.
The C-17 is a high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed aircraft with a rear-loading ramp. It is 174 feet in length, has a height of 55.08 feet and a wingspan of 169.75 feet. Maximum takeoff gross weight is 585,000 pounds. Maximum payload is 169,000 pounds. With a payload of 160,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. It can be refueled in flight. On the ground, a fully loaded aircraft, using engine reversers, can back up a 2-percent slope.
About the C-17 Globemaster III
The most advanced military airlift aircraft in the world, the C-17 can respond to diverse mission demands. Its design emphasizes high reliability in the demanding military environment, uses proven components and technologies to reduce operations and maintenance costs, and provides high aircraft availability with lower life-cycle costs.
Flexibility designed into the C-17 cargo compartment allows it to carry a broad range of vehicles, cargo pallets, paratroops, and airdrop loads, and to support aeromedical evacuation. The large cargo compartment cross section is designed to transport modern military equipment including large wheeled and tracked vehicles efficiently.
Structurally designed for a lifetime of routine operations in severe tactical environments, the C-17 can accomplish frequent low-altitude and high-speed missions plus repeated landings at small, austere airfields. This capability allows it to bypass many large congested airfields and deliver its cargo closer to where it is needed. |
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