OTTAWA — Defence Minister Rob Nicholson has formally announced that the air force will get a fifth C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transport plane.
The federal cabinet recently signed off on the proposal, which the military has been pushing for, calling it a uniquely time-sensitive opportunity because Boeing aircraft, the U.S. manufacturer, has closed the assembly line.
Nicholson made the announcement Friday at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., the home of the current C-17 fleet, and said that the mammoth jets have given the Canadian military a lot of flexbility to be able to move a huge amount of cargo for both itself and allies.
He underscored their use in humanitarian operations, as well as support to French troops fighting in the west African country of Mali in 2013.
Earlier this week, The Canadian Press reported that National Defence believed it could afford the estimated US $169-million price tag because it had not spent all of the funds made available for the initial purchase of four C-17s.
Since closing its production line last summer, Boeing was left with 10 unsold Globemasters, some of which were recently spoken for by Australia.
