Article Posted on : - Oct 27, 2013

The Indian Air Force's fourth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III departs for India from Long Beach on Oct. 19, keeping the company on track to deliver a total of five advanced airlifters to the IAF this year. A Boeing photo

WASHINGTON (PTI): US aviation major Boeing has delivered the fourth C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) with one more to be supplied by the year end.

This keeps the American aircraft giant on track to deliver five of the large, versatile military transport aircraft to the IAF this year, and five more in 2014.

Once India receives all of the ten aircraft, it will be the largest C-17 operator outside the United States.

Since its first flight in 1991, the C-17 has amassed more than 2.6 million flying hours, airlifting troops, large cargo, delivering humanitarian supplies by precision airdrop and performing lifesaving aeromedical missions.

Most recently, the IAF used its C-17s to support relief efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin.

Boeing will complete production of C-17s in the fourth quarter of 2015, an official release said.

In addition to the remaining C-17s for India, the company will build 15 more for other customers outside the US.

So far Boeing has delivered 258 C-17s, including 223 to the US Air Force and a total of 35 to Australia, Canada, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations.