# C-17A Aircraft — Program Element 0401130F

**Program element:** 0401130F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401130F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding ramps 72% to a $178.1M request in FY2027 — the program's peak. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 11% (to $198.1M); the Senate added 3.9% (to $185.1M); House appropriators funded it in full. Boeing leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 11.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 103.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 178.1 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 101.2 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 101.2 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 103.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 135.5 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 178.1 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 198.1 | +20.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 185.1 | +7.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 178.1 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 672569 | C-17A Aircraft | 11.9 | 103.5 | 178.1 | +72% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 672569 — C-17A Aircraft

C-17 program performs an entire spectrum of airlift missions and is specifically designed to operate effectively and efficiently in both strategic and theater environments. Not only can the C-17 deliver outsize cargo to austere tactical environments, but it also reduces ground time during air and land operations and is the only aircraft capable of routine delivery of outsize cargo (tanks, helicopters, etc.) to short, austere airfields. The C-17 aircraft can carry up to 102 troops, 36-litter patients or 18 standard 463-L pallets. The C-17 will perform it's airlift mission well into this century. Specific tasks associated with the airlift mission include deployment, employment, sustaining support, retrograde, aeromedical evacuation, and combat redeployment. C-17 Strategic Airlift provides essential flexibility when responding to contingencies on short notice anywhere in the world and is a major element of America's national security strategy and most responsive to meet mobility requirements. C-17 program funding supports efforts to include but not limited to Aircraft performance improvements, aircraft mission execution and airspace access mandates (i.e. Communications/Navigation Improvements); flight test activities and facilities; development of solutions for obsolescence and safety of flight issues; systems engineering/program support; support for avionics laboratories; software development, test and integration; block development/change management; developments of solutions for needed upgrades to combat obsolescence and safety of flight issues; and proposal preparation for new projects; Flight Deck Replacement (FDR); Aircraft Connectivity; and, studies to assess survivability efforts of different defensive systems not equipped on C-17 aircraft. Funding request includes Rapid Global Mobility (RGM) platform-related rapid capability development process activities including early planning, analysis and systems engineering activities which provide linkages between operation needs, system performance requirements, technology needs and opportunities, potential lifecycle costs and enabling the technical foundation for material development. This requirement supports performance of a full financial audit as requirement by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Boeing (108.2, 61%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Flight Test | 3.4 | 5.2 | 5.6 |
| Aircraft Connectivity | 0.1 | 0.0 | 67.1 |
| Databus Collection & Analytics (DBCA) | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Flight Deck Replacement (FDR) | 5.2 | 70.1 | 105.5 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 61% | 108.2 |
| Other / unspecified | 39% | 69.9 |

**Top named industry performers:** Boeing ($108.2M, 61%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

C-17 program performs an entire spectrum of airlift missions and is specifically designed to operate effectively and efficiently in both strategic and theater environments. Not only can the C-17 deliver outsize cargo to austere tactical environments, but it also reduces ground time during air and land operations and is the only aircraft capable of routine delivery of outsize cargo (tanks, helicopters, etc.) to short, austere airfields. The C-17 aircraft can carry up to 102 troops, 36-litter patients or 18 standard 463-L pallets. The C-17 will perform it's airlift mission well into this century.

The C-17 Acquisition Strategy is based on several separate contracts to support the entire scope of the C-17 weapon system. Globemaster Operational Enhancement (GLOBE) is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract used to purchase services and research articles (through delivery orders) to support all RDT&E with our prime contractor. In addition, purchase orders are used to support flight test activities within the projects at Edwards AFB. In addition to GLOBE, the G3 Sustainment contract is also an IDIQ contract that allows for RDT&E with our prime contractor.

## Related program elements

- [0401218F — KC-135 Upgrades](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401218F) (Air Force)
- [0605212M — CH-53K](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605212M) (Navy)
- [0603599N — FRIGATE Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603599N) (Navy)
- [0203735A — Combat Vehicle Improvement Programs](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0203735A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0401130F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0401130F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*