The C-17 Revolts!

Let me get this straight:

• In 2004, the Air Mobility Command (AMC) said the air force needed 222 C-17s
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• In 2005, the Office of the Secretary of Defense overulled the air force, insisting that the production line be capped at 180
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• In 2006, Congress gave the air force an extra 10 aircraft anyway, partly overruling OSD
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• Today, Dow Jones is reporting that the air force will make the case that it needs an additional 30 C-17s to meet its requirements.
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• If the air force gets its way, the service will buy a total of about about 220 C-17s -- almost exactly the same amount AMC asked for three years ago!

So much for top-down budgeting.