In November 2015, the final C-17 left Long Beach. The plant was closed and with it, big aircraft manufacturing in California. There were ten white tail C-17s built. Nine of these were then ordered, leaving one which was stored in San Antonio.
The final C-17 has now been approved for sale to India.  The US Defense Security and Cooperation Agency says the State Department has approved the sale to India of the final C-17 for $336.2m. For comparison purposes, in 2014 Kuwait paid $371m for two C-17s plus equipment and support. The final C-17 sold for top dollar. It must rank as one of Boeing’s best price premiums.
Is that premium good enough that Boeing might reconsider its decision to close the plant? Probably not. But it seems the world wants airlifters like these. Unfortunately the Airbus A400M and Antonov An-124, which should benefit from the demise of C-17 production, have not.
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