numbskull
Bravo sir, well said.
As for the justification for the C-17s, the play has probably gone like this.
10*Gen Boddington-Smythe: "I say Smithers, what say we by some of these new fangled Abrams tanks, what?"
Fixer-upper Smithers: "Jolly good idea Sir. Here's the requisition, how many shall we order?
Some years later ....
Fixer-upper Smithers: " You know Sir, now that we've ordered these bluddy great tanks, perhaps we should think about how we're gonna transport the buggas!"
10*Gen Boddington-Smythe: "Top idea Smithers, now where's that requisition form, 4 should do."
As an aside, when the procurement of the Abrams tank was announced, an American defence analyst interviewed on ABC radio (PM/AM/The World Today?) expressed surprise that the ADF would waste money on such a large tank, when we had no capability to transport it, much less the need for it for the defence of Australia.