Canada has purchased a fleet of four Boeing C-17 Globemaster III's, with the first one rolling off Boeing's massive C-17 production line this summer. The second is scheduled for the fall and the other two in 2008.

"I am not an aviation expert, I'm not a contracting expert, I'm not a politician, but I just spent six months overseas as a Canadian in uniform doing what Canada wants us to do," [Yvan Blondin] said. "What I have heard from Canadians in my 27-year career, especially in the last few years, is that they want our troops to be better equipped and have the right tools. This (the C-17) is the right tool for us."

"This is a national treasure that would take billions of dollars to re-create," said Ron Marcotte, the Boeing vice-president in charge of the C-17. "We know that money is tight at the (U.S.) Department of Defense and they are struggling to get the funding to keep this alive."