Boeing might stop production of C-17 military cargo plane by 2009

US based makers of aircrafts Boeing has said in a statement that they would end production of its C-17 military cargo plane in mid-2009 in case they do not receive any further orders from the U.S. armed forces.

The company has already told suppliers to stop work on four planes for which there is no firm funding. This is perhaps the first step for the company to shut down the plane’s supply chain.

Boeing is also working hard to get the US government to continue production of the plane. However, if they fail to get any new orders, they would stop the production of this plane by the middle of 2009.

The worse news is that the closing of this production line would result in cutting of around 5,500 Boeing jobs at California, Missouri, Georgia, and Arizona.

Ron Marcotte, general manager of Boeing’s Global Mobility Systems unit added about their plans for this plane: “No one questions its (the C-17’s) operational value. But we can’t continue carrying the program without additional orders from the U.S. government.”

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