Comparing the two cargo aircraft, the C-17 and C-130
First delivered in 1991, the C-17 Globemaster III is the senior (by a long shot) of these two cargo aircraft – by a lot. The U.S. Air Force declared the C-17 operationally ready in 1995, and ordered a total inventory of 223 C-17s from its producer, Boeing. The C-130 Hercules, on the other hand, was first delivered in 1956, almost 40 years before the C-17 was a reality. Many variations of the C-130 exist, as well as a few that no longer exist. The C-130A and C-130B were ordered in a batch of 219 in 1956, but by the time August of 1962 rolled around, Lockheed Martin was already on to the C-130E (of which the USAF ordered over 300). Active duty locations for the C-17 are Travis AFB, California; Dover AFB, Delaware; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina; and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Also, Pacific Air Forces operates C-17s from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Activ...