Boeing delivers C-17 to U.A.E.

LONG BEACH, Calif., May 11 (UPI) -- The first of six C-17 Globemaster III airlifters was delivered by Boeing in California Tuesday to the United Arab Emirates air force.

The handover took place during a ceremony at the company's final assembly facility in Long Beach.

"It is with great pride that we accept delivery of our first C-17, which will help expand our ability to perform humanitarian and strategic-lift missions in the region and around the world," said Maj. Gen. Staff Pilot Mohammed bin Suwaidan Saeed Al Qamzi, U.A.E. air force and air defense commander. "The C-17's advanced capabilities, high reliability, and mission readiness rate met all of our requirements."

The U.A.E. will take delivery of three more C-17s this year and two in 2012.

As a member of the worldwide C-17 "virtual fleet," the U.A.E.'s C-17s will be supported through Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership, a proven multinational performance-based logistics program.

Through the virtual fleet concept, C-17 customers receive comprehensive logistics support (spares, support equipment, tech orders, sustaining engineering, and on-site field teams) through use of shared resources across the entire C-17 fleet.