The US Air Force is studying a modified proposal from Boeing covering the follow-on purchase of 60 heavier take-off weight C-17A Globemasters, the first of which could be delivered as early as 2003.
Under the terms of the new USAF proposal, the aircraft will be available at a delivery price of $152.2 million (in fiscal year 1999 dollars), based on a production rate of 15 per year.
Unlike the previous offer, which was based on a price of $150 million per aircraft, the maximum take-off weight is raised from the 265,350kg (585,000lb) offered on the latest Block 12 extended range variant to 279,210kg.
"The configuration would be more mature with all the improvements. It would have the long-range fuel tank, extra structural weight, and would be capable of carrying more cargo," says Boeing vice president of business development for air force programmes, Stuart Thomson.
Boeing is "as optimistic as it can be" over the expected USAF reaction the to the plan, which involves a heavy cost-cutting commitment from Boeing and each sub-contractor to the C-17.
"We needed to give a shape to the programme that made sense to our sub-contractors, particularly since we are asking them to cut around 25% off their prices beyond our current MYP [multi-year procurement] pricing," adds Thomson.
Unlike the previous offer, based on a fixed price incentive contract with risk sharing, the new proposal passes all the risk to the contractor team.
The first Royal Air Force C-17, which arrived in the UK on 23 May, is the 73rd aircraft to be delivered, and the third with an extended range tank and Global Air Traffic Management avionics.
The aircraft are being leased for seven years, with two single year extension clauses and an option to buy. A similar lease deal is being studied by Canada, which has a provisional requirement for six, and Australia.
Source: Flight International
