Air Force officials have announced that officials in the office of the under secretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics have certified the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program for 49 additional aircraft.

The C-5s approved include 47 C-5Bs used for inter-theater airlift and two C-5Cs used primarily for domestic missions supporting the space program. Three C-5s already have been modernized. The restructured program did not include the 62 C-5A models.

Continuing the C-5B RERP allows Air Force people to modify aircraft with better, newer structures with defensive systems at an overall savings to the taxpayer. The overall objective of the RERP is to improve C-5 fleet reliability, availability and aircraft performance.

The program has been re-designated as an Acquisition Category 1D and the Department of Defense will have executive oversight. All C-5s are still programmed to receive the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) modification, which replaces obsolete navigation, communication and surveillance equipment. AMP provides the digital architecture backbone needed for RERP.

Projected RERP cost overruns led the Air Force to submit a Nunn-McCurdy cost-breach declaration to Congress last year.

The C-5 Galaxy, with its tremendous payload capability, provides the Air Mobility Command airlift in support of United States national defense. The C-5 can carry fully equipped combat-ready military units to any point in the world on short notice and then provide field support required to help sustain the fighting force.

The Galaxy is one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory. It can carry more than any other airlifter--36 standard pallets and up to 81 troops simultaneously. The Galaxy also carries all of the Army's air-transportable combat equipment from the United States to any theater of combat on the globe. It can also carry outsize and oversize cargo intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances.

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