Originally Posted by
NoseGunner
4. NATO sees the above, is also massively short of airlift and decide to do something similar (except buy straight away).
I'm struggling to see the negatives here.
Hence my questions:
Who/how did Canada get 'forced' to buy anything? But if they wanted a quicker fill of its airlift need, why would the C-17 not be the choice now? I do not know the domestic politics in Canada well to answer this. But to say its been a 'few months' from a government desparately eager to please Washington seemed a bit of a stretch.......
If the US already provides the tanker support for the NATO E-3 component, why was it 'shady' for that consideration for a NATO C-17 buy? If it ever happens? If the C-17 is purchased by NATO, what other NATO country could support the A/R needs? Don't think it has been tested/ configured for probe/drogue, but will defer to anyone more knowledgable.
As posted by another, the IL-76 is not being churned out. What is the fact of the matter? If not, then what other strat airlifter is being produced right now? Not in a few years, but now?
Would Boeing bend a few arms to keep the line going? I'd think so, but to infer skullduggery (have NEVER worked that word into a sentence before!) seems a little much.