Globemaster is one of the performing large planes in the United States Air Force (USAF). It is responsible for the movement of war material and personnel as it can carry heavy loads in its cavernous cargo bay. It is even bigger than a C-130 Hercules, reported Fas Org.
C-17 Globemaster III built to carry
One of the main missions of the plane is to transport everything that the US forces will need, from the staging areas to the forward bases where they are sent. Without this ubiquitous system for cargo transfer, resupplying forces overseas will not be so easy.
How much can it carry?
It has a maxed-out whopping payload of 170,900 pounds and a matched capability to carry an incredible 585,000 pounds that means a lot for US Forces operating overseas. Ordinarily, it can pack in 170,900 pounds in its specially designed cargo bay and fly as high as 28,000 feet altitude.
A C-17 can travel about 5,200 nautical miles giving it endurance for non-stop flights anywhere in the world where American expeditionary forces are needed. Though on the slow side, with 459 knots (subsonic).
Design of the Globemaster
The C-17 Globemaster III's 174 feet length and wings that are 170 feet wide enable its excellent performance. Of course, it will not be a heavy lift if there is not enough power. It is equipped with four fully reversible Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines, cited Flight Global. A civilian version is used by the Boeing 75. Thrust equals power; thus, four engines with 40,900 pounds of thrust push their bulk off the ground. Equipped with thrust reverses that point airflow upward so that the engines won't get damaged.
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Operation of the airplane
It has a crew of three on board, the pilot, co-pilot, and the loadmaster who supervises the cargo bay. The rear is a large door to accommodate palletized cargo and anything that it can fit inside noted, AF Mil. When airborne, it can drop paratroops and their equipment, inserting them into an enemy or friendly territory called airdrop operations.
Developed for austere runways
This plane's design allows it to operate in small, sparse airfields. The heavy lifter can take off or land on runways as small as 3,000 feet by 90 feet. It can turn around on such shortened runways using its backing capability when executing a three-point star turn.
It makes full use of off-the-shelf and commercial equipment, with standard USAF avionics too.
All major US operations had the C-17s play a huge role in the deployments, such as being part of the Operation Enduring Force, which moved all the supplies needed to support American forces. Large amounts of actual material were sent to the staging area by commanders, noted AF Mil.
Capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III proved invaluable when fast transport was needed to bring US forces anywhere globally.
