Globemaster

Australia wants to buy a C-17A Globemaster cargo aircraft, according to a recent Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement. The aircraft, along with "associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support," has an estimated value of $300 million, the DSCA statement reads. Further:

Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. Australia’s efforts in operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, peacekeeping, and humanitarian operations have made a significant impact on regional, political, and economic stability and have served U.S. national security interests. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives and facilitates burden sharing with our allies.

Australia currently has a heavy airlift capability comprised of four C-17As. This additional C-17 will further improve Australia’s capability to rapidly deploy in support of global coalition operations and will also greatly enhance its ability to lead regional humanitarian/peacekeeping operations such as its current response to the Queensland flooding, cyclone aftermath and the New Zealand Earthquake.

Australia has the ability to absorb and employ the additional C-17. The C-17 fleet is based at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley. RAAF Base Amberley is the primary base for airlift and tanker aircraft and is currently undergoing the infrastructure upgrades required to support the C-17 and other large aircraft Australia already received or is under contract to purchase.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be the Boeing Company in Long Beach, California. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

Last month, the Defense Department asked Congress for permission to sell a decade's worth of maintenance services to Australia to sustain 24 MH-60R helicopters, a deal that could be worth up to $1.6 billion. As InsideDefense.com reported at the time:

According to a Feb. 2 Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement, the 10-year, "Through-Life-Support" (TLS) sustainment contract would "include spare and repair parts provisioning, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support." . . .

Because Australia already has S-70B helicopters in its inventory, the country "will have no difficulty performing the actions necessary to properly sustain these additional helicopters," according to DSCA.

Stratford, CT-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Owego, NY-based Lockheed Martin, Lynn, MA-based General Electric and Raytheon's Portsmouth, RI, facility will be the prime contractors, the statement reads, adding: "There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale."