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United States Boeing
C-17 Globemaster III
Large strategic airlifter capable of operating from short, austere runways while carrying outsized military cargo including tanks and helicopters. Backbone of U.S. Air Mobility Command's heavy-lift fleet.
In service since 1995 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
830
km/h
4,482
km range
13,716
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $340,000,000 — Historical program unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 1995. Status: active · ~279 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$850M – $1.2B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 830 km/h Stronger than 32% of transport aircraft
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 830 km/h Stronger than 88% of transport aircraft
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 4,482 km Stronger than 23% of transport aircraft
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 13,716 m Top 3% of transport aircraft
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 53 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 51.75 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 16.79 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 128,100 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 265,350 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
- Cargo payload
Maximum cargo the transport can carry. Higher means more lift per sortie.
- 77,519 kg Stronger than 88% of transport aircraft
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 102 Stronger than 55% of transport aircraft
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 4
- Thrust
Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).
- 180 kN
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbofan
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $340,000,000
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 279 Stronger than 75% of transport aircraft
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 8 Stronger than 70% of transport aircraft
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) KJ-2000 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III has a maximum speed of 830 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III has a maximum range of 4,482 km.
How much does the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III weigh? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III has a combat weight of 265,350 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III require? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III requires a crew of 3.
What engine does the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III use? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is powered by the Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan.
How many countries operate the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cost? +
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III has an approximate unit cost of 340,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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