As usual (from personal RAAF transport experience and acquaintance with people in the present-day transport world), this extra C17 will be ordered without any increase in funding for flying hours or logistics support, ie, drivers, blokes with spanners and a spare part in hand to fix it when it breaks, etc.
But like everything else, it will look impressive on the flight line. Even when it's not working. We can say we have FIVE, not four. And the public will be proud, and wonder how often it flies, and marvel at the stupendous cost savings achieved in not buying two aircraft @ about $70-80 million each, but instead buying a single C17 @ about $200 million.
<dutchy's ex-military sarcasm off>
Last edited by DutchRoll; 2nd Mar 2011 at 11:46.