USAF plan to fly C-5, C-17s even longer elicits concern

The Air Force aims to keep its aging C-5 and C-17 airlifters flying years longer than planned as it awaits a next-gen replacement, officials said in recently released documents. That’s alarming some former mobility leaders.A Nov. 19 solicitation memo says the C-5 Galaxy will fly until 2045 and the C-17 Globemaster until 2075, longer than previously planned, to ensure that the Air Force has enough airlift capacity while it waits for the Next-Generation Airlift aircraft. NGAL is to reac