Yesterday, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Founding Member, The Boeing Company hosted a ceremony in Long Beach, California to mark the delivery of the first of six C-17 Globemaster III planes to the United Arab Emirates’ (U.A.E.) Air Force and Air Defense.
“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 Major General Staff Pilot Mohammed bin Suwaidan Saeed Al Qamzi, the Commander of the U.A.E. Air Force and Air Defense, as he formally accepted the military aircraft from Boeing. “The C-17’s advanced capabilities, high reliability, and mission readiness rate met all of our requirements.”
According to a Boeing press statement, the U.A.E. will receive three additional C-17s before the end of the year, with another two set for delivery in 2012. With the delivery of the C-17s, the U.A.E. will join a global “virtual fleet” of C-17s operating around the world and enjoy access to comprehensive logistics and maintenance support.
Major General Suwaidan was joined at the ceremony by senior U.A.E. diplomats His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, U.A.E. Ambassador to the U.S., Saud Al Nowais, Commercial Attache at the U.A.E. Embassy in Washington, D.C., and by officers of the U.A.E. Air Force and Air Defence. California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and Chris Chadwick, President of Boeing Military Aircraft, congratulated the U.A.E. and welcomed the country to the “worldwide community of C-17 operators.”
For more information on Boeing’s C-17 delivery to the U.A.E. Air Force and Air Defence, please visit: http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1738.
Further Press Coverage:
Long Beach Press Telegram– http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_18036079
Khaleej Times– http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/May/theuae_May337.xml§ion=theuae
Arabian Business– http://www.arabianbusiness.com/boeing-delivers-first-c-17-military-plane-the-uae-399247.html
Emirates News Agency-WAM– http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1289993468740&p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2FWamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews
