Sept 21 - "AP: WASHINGTON - Congress will fund 10 new Boeing C-17 cargo aircraft, lawmakers said Thursday, keeping production lines open longer at the company's Long Beach plant.
The $2.1 billion in new money was being included in the annual defense spending bill. Negotiations on the bill were being completed Thursday evening.
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The new funding is expected to keep the plant open through the end of 2009."
- I've often thought the Pentagon should additionally offer to fund something like 1/2 the cost of C-17 aircraft for commercial cargo carriers for their transport reserve program. I know the commercial airlines don't want the C-17 and it has many capabilities they don't need. However, maybe they should rather force the C-17 on them by making such a lucrative deal. Keeping the C-17 production line going seems rather important to the nations security. I would think a rate of even 4 a year could keep it going. Its got to be cheaper to maintain this level of production than create a new aircraft in a few years or even rebuilding a C-17 factory. One or the other will have to be done. |